


The Littlest Winchester Part II

by catforqueen



Series: The Littlest Winchester [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Babies, F/M, M/M, baby!dean - Freeform, broken! Adam, sensitive! Lucifer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-04
Updated: 2015-04-27
Packaged: 2018-02-19 20:38:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 29,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2402117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catforqueen/pseuds/catforqueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to The Littlest Winchester. Please read that one first.<br/>The Winchesters saved the day again. Juliet and Gabriel are now married. But, what happens when children get tossed into the mix?<br/>Destiel, GabrielxOC. Some possible smut in the future. Don't like, don't read.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Adventures In Babysitting

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hey, guess who's back! That's right! So, for those of you just tuning in, this is a sequel to "The Littlest Winchester", so to understand what's going on, you should go back and read that one. In this installment, chapter titles are episode titles, which is really nifty. This title came from Season 7, Episode 11. Anyway, without further ado, enjoy "The Littlest Winchester Part 2"!

It had been a long, hard labor. Nineteen hours of blood, screaming, and excruciating pain. Poor Sam had been forced to step in as midwife. Of course, asking Dean would have been a nightmare.

But, nineteen and a half hours later, it was over. And almost twenty hours of the worst pain Juliet had ever experienced are completely worth it. She smiles as she cradles her daughter in her arms. She raises her eyes to Gabriel and smiles wider at their son in his arms.

She shifts her gaze to Sam, who is sprawled out in the chair off to the side, his long limbs splayed in all directions.

"Sam," she says. "Go wash up and get some rest. Thank you so much."

Sam nods, dragging himself out of the chair.

"Do you want me to send in Dean and Cas?" he asks. Juliet nods. Sam stumbles to the door. He puts a hand on the knob, but turns back with a smirk.

"Congrats, Mom and Dad."

* * *

"You guys settled on names yet?" Dean asks, staring down at his niece.

"For the boy, we decided on Robert Kevin," Gabriel tells him.

"Hello, Bobby," Castiel murmurs to the sleeping baby. Dean's eyes glow with pride.

"And the girl?" Dean asks.

"Mary Joanna," Juliet tells him.

"Hey there, MJ," Dean says. "They're beautiful."

"Thank God they look like their daddy," Gabriel jokes smugly. Juliet snorts, but doesn't argue. The twins got lucky on their gene pool, with a mix of Winchester and Gabriel's traits.

The group sits in companionable silence for a minute or two. Then Castiel starts humming. The group immediately recognizes the opening chords of "Hey Jude" in his gravelly voice. Dean smiles proudly.

"We'll let you get some rest," Dean says after a while. He and Cas hand over the twins and leave.

* * *

"Uh... sir?" the lower class demon speaks up nervously from the doorway.

"What?" Crowley snaps crossly, glancing up from his desk.

"The Winchester girl..."

"Yes, what of her?" Crowley asks in a bored voice, glancing back at the papers on his desk.

"She's had twins."

"Male or female?" he raises his eyebrows.

"One of each, sir."

"And so the Winchester line continues," he turns his eyes back to the demon. "You may go."

"Yes, my King."

"Keep me posted on the Winchesters."

"Of course, sir," the demon closes the door behind him.

Crowley leans back in his chair and sighs.

"Winchesters. Just when I think I'm done with them, they multiply."

* * *

6 Weeks Later:

Bobby and Mary are growing rapidly. Bobby promises to be as long and lanky as his uncle Sam. Mary, on the hand, looks more like her uncle Dean, except she had Gabriel's eyes.

Juliet looks- at least in  _her_  mind- chubby. She decides it's time to work off her baby fat.

"Hey, Sam, you wanna be my workout buddy?" she asks him.

"Sure. Why the sudden interest?"

"I just had twins. I put on some weight, and you better believe I'm going to work it off."

"You look fine," Sam tells her.

"God, you sound like Gabriel. Well, fine ain't gonna cut it, mister. I'm a Winchester."

Sam smirks and shakes his head affectionately. But the next morning, they're up at the crack of dawn, in work out clothes, ready to run.

When they get back, Dean snorts and mutters something about "health freaks". Juliet ignores him and turns to Sam.

"Yoga around four? One of my ex-boyfriends used to teach yoga classes."

"Huh, guess it runs in the family," Sam remarks.

"What does?"

"Dating bendy people. Yeah, I'm up for yoga."

Dean snorts in derision.

"You know, you could join us, Dean," Juliet tells him.

"Forget it, Jules. Dean's too afraid yoga will threaten his masculinity," Sam mutters sarcastically.

"You know what, Juliet? I think maybe I will join you guys."

Sam's eyebrows draw up in surprise. Juliet waits for Dean to leave the room before turning to Sam.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

"He shouldn't judge it until he's tried it," Sam shrugs. Juliet chuckles.

"Juliet?" Gabriel calls from the room in the bunker they'd been using as the nursery. Juliet hears Mary Jo crying. She smiles wearily to Sam.

"Motherhood calls."

* * *

"Hey, Gabriel?" Juliet asks that night when she and Gabriel are curled in their bed.

"Hm?"

"The twins are half angel, right?"

"Nephilim, yes."

"Are they going to have angel traits?"

"Well, each nephilim is different, so they might, they might not. Most can hear and see angels in their true forms, that's common."

"I thought nephilim were rare?"

"Hardly," Gabriel snorts. "They're just Heaven's best kept secret. We like to pretend we're above relationships with humans."

"You don't."

"True," Gabriel murmurs, kissing her forehead. "Anyway, I've even heard of some nephilim who had healing abilities. It's all luck of the draw."

"So... we could wind up with superhero babies?"

Gabriel laughs and rolls his eyes.

* * *

2 Weeks Later:

_Twins' Age: 2 months_

"Juliet, go out with Gabriel. Between, Sam, Cas, and I, I think we can handle the twins for one night," Dean reassures her. Juliet turns to Sam.

"Don't let him drop my babies," she pleads, only half-joking.

"They'll be fine, Jules. Take the night off," Sam tells her.

"Come on, angel," Gabriel says.

"There's no need for name calling," Juliet quips, kissing each of the twins on the head.

"Have fun!" Sam calls as the door to the bunker closes behind them. Dean looks at Sam and Cas and smirks.

"Now what?"

"I believe we are expected to take care of Juliet and Gabriel's children. Although, judging from the way you're rolling your eyes, this may have been a rhetorical question," Castiel replies trailing off at the end.

"Good guess, Cas," Sam says sarcastically.

"Thank you, Sam. I believe I am improving at understanding the nuances of human interactions."

Dean closes his eyes and sighs, restraining a smile. Cas glances at him and his proud smile falls away.

"I missed Sam's sarcasm again, didn't I?"

"It's okay, Cassie. You're getting better," Dean tells him, reaching out and grabbing Cas' shoulder. Cas smiles and leans into him. Sam rolls his eyes.

"Alright, love birds. Are either of you going to help me with research or should I leave so you can make out?"

Dean smirks and says "leave" and Castiel answers "please go". Sam flashes a bitch face as Dean starts laughing.

"I was planning on cataloging some of the artifacts. I figured Cas could help since he probably knows what most of it is."

Dean pulls out his laptop and tucks it under his arm.

"Come on, Cassie. We've got work to do."

* * *

"Where did they even  _get_  most of this stuff?" Dean asks, handing Cas a set of barbecue tongs holding a small bag of rocks. He had stopped picking the objects up since Cas had just barely stopped him from touching Cleopatra's hair clip or something, which was apparently a cursed object.

"I imagine they collected them from hunters or on expeditions. Those are rocks from the Yangtze river."

"And we have these,  _why_? Are they okay to touch?"

"Safe to touch. Rocks from certain parts of the river can be used in spells."

"Why do you know that?"

Cas glances up from the index card label he'd been writing. He smiles gently at Dean.

"I've been around a long time, Dean," he reminds him. Dean's mouth curls into an upside down smile and he nods.

Suddenly, the sound of crying reaches them.

"I'll handle this, Dean," Cas says.

Another voice joins the tearful chorus.

"I'll join you," Dean replies, standing and brushing himself off. The couple walks quickly to the nursery. Dean gently lifts body, while Cas cradles Mary. Dean hums his way through "Smoke on the Water" and Cas sings "Believe It or Not".

Once the songs are over, the twins are still bawling. Cas and Dean immediately transition to new songs.

_Hey Jude,_

_Don't make it bad._

They glance at each other in surprise, then smile softly and continue to sing. Finally, the twins quiet and the boys lower them back into the cribs.

"Dean, I seem to be attached," Cas says to the hunter. Dean walks over and looks into the cradle with him.

"I know. They're cute kids."

"No, Dean. I mean, she won't let go of my finger," Cas explains, showing Dean his index finger which Mary has clutched tightly in her tiny fist. Dean gently reaches down and pries the finger free, but doesn't release Castiel's hand. Cas raises his eyes to Dean's face.

"Come with me," Dean murmurs quietly, leading Cas from the room and down the hall.

"What about cataloging?"

"We've done enough for tonight," Dean tells him, dragging him into his bedroom. He shuts the door quickly behind them and there's a dull thump as someone- probably Cas- is shoved against the door.

Sam rolls his eyes from the end of the hallway. When the crying from the twins had finally startled him awake, he had come to see if the couple had needed any help. Evidently they had everything under control.

* * *

"How did it go? Were they awful?" Juliet asks Sam when she and Gabriel get back.

"Who? The twins, or Dean and Cas?"

"The twins. Why, what did Cas and Dean do?"

"The twins were great. Only cried once. Dean and Cas locked themselves in Dean's room for half the night. They were kind enough to keep the volume down."

"Oh, Sam, I'm sorry."

"It's alright. Sadly, I'm getting used to it. I got some research done."

"Well, thank you, Sam. I really needed the night off."

"No problem, Jules. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," Sam tells her. Suddenly, Dean walks in, wrapped in a sheet.

"Hey, Sammy, who are you- oh, hey, Juliet. How was your night?"

"It was nice, Dean. I'm going to guess yours went well?"

"Still going," Dean replies, smirking. "Which reminds me," he adds turning to leave. Sam rolls his eyes.

"Dean?' Juliet calls. He turns back. "Keep the volume down, please. The twins are sleeping, and, as your sister, I really don't want to know what you do with your boyfriend behind closed doors."

Dean mock salutes her with two fingers before striding from the room, wearing his blanket like it's royal robes. Juliet and Sam can't help but chuckle.

"I'm going to check on Gabriel and the twins. Night, Sam."

"Night."

Juliet enters the nursery quietly. Gabriel is standing in shadow in front of Mary Jo's crib.

"Gabriel?" she says softly. Gabriel whirls around, angel blade in hand, wings flashing into view momentarily. he un-tenses when he sees that it's Juliet.

"Jules," he exhales. "You startled me."

"I see this," she says, lowering her hands from the surrender position. "How are they?" she asks, walking to his side and placing her head on his shoulder.

"Well, they're sleeping. So... good?"

"You have no idea what you're doing, do you?" Juliet teases.

"Hey, first-time father, cut me a little slack."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So, first chapter is mostly fluffy. I promise, it will pick up after here. I will try to upload every five days, like before, but I can't promise 100% dependability.


	2. The Devil You Know

4 Months Later:

_(Twins' Age: 6 months)_

At six months, the twins have started attempts at standing and chatter constantly, although none of the sounds count as intelligible words yet. Juliet and Gabriel have started the "mama/dada" battle. Little do they know, their efforts are being undermined by Sam's attempts to teach the twins to say "uncle" or some word similar, and Dean's persistent attempts to teach them to say "Christo".

Juliet is playing with Bobby when she notices lumps on his back.

"Gabriel?!" she call, panicking.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Gabriel asks, hurrying over with Mary.

"What are these? Is he sick? Can you heal him?" she asks, her voice climbing. Gabriel hands over Mary and picks up his son. He laughs in relief.

"Wings, Juliet. Bobby is growing wings," he tells her in awe. "They're supposed to be rare."

"Wings? Will he be able to fly with them?"

"I don't see why not," Gabriel tells her. "Once they grow in and he gets flight feathers... Little stud will get all the angel ladies," Gabriel says proudly.

* * *

The next day the twins turn six months. Dean insists on making a birthday pie, which everyone realizes is more for himself than the twins.

That night, Juliet wakes up to Mary crying. She rolls over to look at Gabriel. His side of the bed is empty. She decides to get up and check on the twins anyway, in case he needs help.

She reaches the nursery. Gabriel is standing in front of Mary's crib in shadows.

"Is she okay, Gabe?"

"Shh," Gabriel whispers, half-turning.

"Alright," Juliet says. She turns to leave and decides to get a glass of water from the kitchen.

She stop shorts when she reaches the main room and sees Gabriel sitting at the map table with Sam.

"Gabriel?" she asks in disbelief. Her eyes immediately widen and she races back to the nursery. She snags the demon knife off of a table as she runs past, figuring the silver and demon-killing properties will enable her to fight off whatever it is long enough for her to call for help if she needs it. She bursts into the nursery. The dark shape turns at the disturbance, and Juliet realizes it's a demon. She charges forward and stabs him in the leg. The demon snarls and telepathically shoves her against the wall.

"Well, well, well. Doesn't this look familiar? Granted, it's been thirty-one years since this scene last played out..."

"Who are you?" Juliet snarls.

"Just a messenger. Tell your brothers an old friend is back in town. An old friend with yellow eyes," the demon smirks. "And this time, it's personal."

"What did you do to my children?" Juliet growls.

"Ask Sam. Little Sammy will know."

The door slams open and Gabriel strides in, angel blade gleaming, followed closely by Sam. Sam immediately starts performing an exorcism when Gabriel stabs the demon through the chest. Sam trails off quietly. Gabriel rushes to Juliet.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine. Check on the twins."

"Did he say what he wanted?" Sam asks.

"He said he was a messenger. He wanted you and Dean to know an old friend is back and it's personal. What did he mean?"

"Did he say who the friend was?" Sam asks.

"Something about yellow eyes, I'm not exactly sure."

Sam's eyes grow large.

"Check for demon blood in their systems," he orders Gabriel before turning and running from the room. "Dean! DEAN!"

"Sam? Sam, what's going on?" Juliet calls after him. "Gabriel?"

"He's right. There's demon blood here. It's alright," he reassures Juliet, "i can cleanse them. They'll be fine."

"Do you know what's going on? What set Sam off like that?" Juliet asks. Gabriel pauses before speaking.

"When Sam was six months old and Dean was four, their mother was killed by a yellow-eyed demon named Azazel. Azazel fed Sam demon blood, which started him on an addiction that later helped kick start the Apocalypse. Everyone thought Azazel was dead since Dean shot him in Wyoming with a gun that's supposed to be able to kill anything."

"The Colt, right?"

"Right. It really only kills  _most_  things, but Azazel's supposed to be one of those things."

"So, he's back?"

"Apparently. And he sent one of his followers to recreate the scene. A little melodramatic, but demons are like that."

"Yeah. I've noticed."

Gabriel smirks.

"You said Mary, the original Mary, died that night."

"That's right."

"If this was supposed to be a parallel, why didn't the demon try to kill me?"

"I don't know."

"If Azazel's back, he'll be taking an interest in the twins," Sam says from the doorway, startling the couple. "That's what his deal was last time."

"You really think he'd be dumb enough to try that again?" Gabriel asks.

"Also, where's Dean? How's he taking it?"

"Cas is trying to keep him from tearing down the bunker, so, overall, I'd say pretty well."

Juliet winces, looking remarkably like Sam.

"Well, until we figure out Azazel's end game and how to stop it, the twins need to be protected," Gabriel announces.

"I agree," Juliet says.

"Of course you do," Gabriel smirks. "I know someone we can call. They'll love this."

"Who?"

"An old friend of mine. An angel."

"Well, get on it, feathers," Juliet orders playfully. Gabriel closes his eyes.

"Hey, Ariel? If you're listening, sweetheart, I need a favor."

"Ariel?" Juliet asks, her voice suddenly colder.

"Yeah. She's always good for calling in favors."

"Your angel friend that you call in a crisis is a woman?"

"Well, she's an angel, so we don't really apply gender roles," Gabriel says, trailing off uncertainly, realizing he's treading on thin ice.

"But she's a she?" Juliet presses. Sam had mysteriously disappeared.

"I guess you could say that..."

Juliet suddenly becomes very quiet and almost sad.

"Is she your ex?"

"What?! No! God, no. Jesus, Jules, she's like my little sister."

"You've had affairs with angels before."

"You'e still going to hold that against me? I'm starting to wish I hadn't told you about that."

Juliet opens her mouth to retort when Sam calls from the war room.

"Hey, guys? Can you come here?"

Juliet glances at Gabriel before striding to the war room, ready to face whatever new horrors (or whore) waits for her there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Chapter title is Season 5, Episode 20. It's a play on words, get it? They know Azazel, but now he's back. And Juliet has to decide if she's going to trust Gabriel and the boys (the devil she knows) to protect her children, or accept this new whore (the devil she doesn't) and the protection she offers. Just a little teaser.


	3. My Bloody Valentine

Juliet marches into the war room. Seated at the map table, legs clad in knee-high leather boots propped up on the table, wavy, waist-length red hair cascading down her back, is Ariel.

"She just sort of appeared," Sam says apologetically, like it wasn't  _his_  home that this angel invaded.

"Mm, smell that tension, huh?" Ariel says, turning her head and casting a smirk over her shoulder at the couple. "Hey there, Gabe. Still antagonizing the ladies?"

"Hey, Ari. How's life?"

"Heavenly," she smirks. She stands up and strides to Juliet, looking her up and down. "You must be Juliet. I'm so pleased to meet you. Thrilled, really. Gabe's told me so much about you. Don't tell him I told you," she says, whispering in Juliet's ear, "But he _really_  loves you. It's cute."

Juliet blushes and pulls back.

"So, what's the favor, Gabe?" Ariel asks, sliding back into the chair.

"You won't believe me, Ari. Come on," Gabriel says, leading Ariel into the nursery.

Ariel looks down at the twins.

"Beautiful," she murmurs.

"They're mine. Well, mine and Juliet's, obviously."

"What? Are you fucking with me? You have kids?! I just thought you weren't hanging out with us anymore because of Juliet!"

"Shhh!"Gabriel tells her. "You'll wake them."

"You settled down?" she whispers aggressively. "I mean, the girl makes sense, but  _children_ , Gabriel?"

"I'm making a life, Ari. A serious one. Less tricks, more family. Stability."

Ariel sighs and shakes her head.

"I'd have never believed it."

"I told you."

"Juliet, Gabriel; Cas said an angel just appeared in the-" Dean bursts in, but stops when he sees Ariel.

"Hello, there, Dean Winchester."

"It's okay, Dean. This is Ariel. I called her to help protect the twins," Gabriel explains.

"You want me to babysit?" Ariel replies indignantly.

"Absolutely not. We want an extra layer of protection. We think they may be targets for a demon," Juliet tells her.

"And you need three fully charged angels and three Winchesters to take on one demon?" Ariel asks dubiously.

"It's Azazel," Gabriel tells her.

" _The_  Azazel?"

"The very same."

"Well, then, I'm in. When can I start?" Ariel says cocking an eyebrow.

* * *

**_ Juliet _ **

I admit, I'm a little wary at Ariel's immediate acceptance, but instead of interrogating her, I decide to interrogate the person who already owes me answers.

"Why is Ariel so eager to protect the twins?" I ask Gabriel the second we're alone in our room, which has been warded against listening ears since the day we moved in.

"Oh, you're speaking to me again, are you?"

"That's not an answer," I reply, glaring at him.

"Neither is that," he retorts, matching me glare for glare. Finally, I cave and roll my eyes.

"What's the point in being mad at you, Gabriel?" I sigh. I stand up and walk over to him. "I can't keep it up for long anyway."

Gabriel glances at me, unable to keep a smirk off of his face. I have to smile back.

"You're my husband, remember?" I add, holding up my left hand, ring facing towards him. He takes my hand gently and kisses it.

"I never forgot."

"You never answered my question," I remind him.

"Like I said, she owes me a favor. But more than that, she owes Azazel something."

"What?"

"Revenge."

"I thought angels were above revenge?"

"Hardly," Gabriel scoffs. He and I move to the bed and sit at the foot of it.

"Why does she want revenge on Azazel?"

"He killed someone very special to her. He killed her soulmate."

"Her soulmate?"

"Many angels have a soulmate. You're mine, Dean is Castiel's. It's usually rare that angels have human soulmates, but you Winchesters never did like to follow the rules."

"What does a soulmate entail?" I ask. Gabriel shrugs.

"Completeness? I don't know. What I do know is the pull of a soulmate is almost impossible to resist. Which makes Ariel's story even more interesting."

"Why?"

"Her soulmate, the one Azazel killed, wasn't her first soulmate."

"What happened to the first one?"

"Nothing. They just didn't love each other. As far as I know, only two angels have ever gotten more than one soulmate, Ariel and her first soulmate."

"Gossiping, Gabriel?" Ariel asks from the doorway, leaning against the frame.

"We were just-" I begin guilty, before Ariel waves her hand.

"It's alright. I don't mind. Go ahead, Gabriel, tell her the rest."

"Why don't you?"

"Alright then," she replies, walking over and sitting next to me on the bed. "When I first met my soulmate- my  _first_  soulmate- he was just a fledgling, a baby angel, but I could already see how he would grow up. Obedient, to a fault, and not just to his superiors, but to Destiny too. Even back then he had this tremendous stick up his ass. I decided I wanted nothing to do with him, so I tried to stay away. But Destiny isn't so easily avoided. When he got older, he was in my flight class, where we taught young angels how to fly. He'd figured out we were soulmates- he's always been smart- and started bringing me gifts and trying to be friendly. But I could still see it, that fierce loyalty to a broken cause and that ceaseless obedience. And he could bring me all the gifts he liked, but I could see that he didn't like me either.

"So one day, I told him, 'Ignore what you've been taught to feel. How do you really feel about me?' He looked me in the eyes and said, 'You have no respect for authority, a complete disregard for chain of command, and an utterly reckless attitude. In short, I can't stand you.'

"We parted ways, and that was his first rebellion. Years later, we became friends, but by that time, the soulmate bond had passed. I had a new soulmate, and he had a new purpose."

"But he never forgot the one who taught him how to rebel," Castiel says from the doorway. "Was my rebellion really so surprising, considering who I had for a teacher?"

"Cas? You were Ariel's first soulmate?" I ask, stunned.

"Many millenia ago, yes. We were soulmates," he replies, walking into the room and leaning against a wall. "And back then I despised her as much as she hated me."

"Cas, you sure know how to make a girl feel all tingly."

"That was before she met Sandalphon, and, obviously, long before I met Dean. Everything changed when I met Dean. I understood free will, and fighting for what is important to you."

"Aw, Cassie, I never knew you were such a romantic," Dean smirks from the door way.

"What the hell is the point of warding a room against eavesdroppers if everyone just walks over to the doorway and listens in anyway?" I exclaim in disgust.

"You live with celestial beings, do you seriously think warding's doing any good?" Sam asks, walking in.

"I warded against them too,  _obviously_ ," I tell him, giving him a flawless Sam-bitchface.

"Is that why I have been unable to hear you and Gabriel and you, um, night time activities?" Cas asks uncomfortable. I groan and collapse backwards onto the bed.

"Is there any possible way we could steer this conversation back to its original course?" I sigh after a minute, pinching the bridge of my nose and sitting up.

"What was that again?" Ariel teases.

"Soulmates. You were talking about Sandy-something."

"Sandalphon."

"What is it with angels and their ridiculous names? Why can't any of you have normal names?" Dean asks.

"Gabriel, Michael, Anna," Sam, Gabriel, Cas and I recite. Dean rolls his eyes, but quiets.

"Continue, Ariel. Old argument," I tell her.

"Alright, well, Sandalphon was the angel of music, the protector of unborn children, and in charge of gathering the prayers of the faithful and delivering them to God. He had another important job. He and Michael waged constant and unending battle against Lucifer. Lucifer was afraid that during the Apocalypse Sandalphon would forget it was supposed to be a showdown between him and Michael. Lucifer didn't like uneven odds and ordered Azazel to... to kill Sandalphon," Ariel pauses. Suddenly, she shakes her head, clearing her thoughts. "Anyway, that's why our father has been so slow in answering prayers. They aren't reaching him anymore. Not even the angels'. Sandalphon's death created chaos in Heaven.

"And  _that's_  why I want to help protect your children. I will punish Azazel. My suffering and Sandalphon's death will be nothing compared to Azazel's torment."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Season 5, Episode 14. Pay attention to all the soulmate and Ariel/Sandalphon stuff, it's important later. Also, Azazel killing Sandalphon? Crazy important later!
> 
> Sandalphon was also the patron angel of Earth.
> 
> Ariel is the angel in charge of the protection and the healing of plants and animals. She's the angel of the elements and has some control of them and is in charge of punishing those who harm God's creations. Most of this will tie in later, so you're taking notes, right?


	4. Sympathy For The Devil

**_ Ariel _ **

Juliet doesn't trust me. I saw it the minute she walked in the room. My confession that I'm only protecting her children to get to Azazel does not ingratiate me to her.

I do truly care about her and Gabriel's children. My compassion and love for children is a trait I picked up from Sandalphon. But the kids have to take a backseat.

Dean doesn't trust me either, but that's hardly surprising considering the Winchesters' track record with angels. Cas is slowly warming him to the idea, but I can see he doesn't like the idea of another angel- and his boyfriend's ex-soulmate- in the bunker.

Sam shows me to a room.

"I know angels don't need to sleep, but, I thought..."

"I have to sleep."

"You do?" Sam asks surprised.

"Most angels don't. But some of us have certain abilities. They sap our graces, making us tired, so we have to sleep," I slide off my jacket and hear Sam gasp.

Flowing out behind me are my wings. Until now, they had been folded tightly against my back, but that gets painful. Fourteen feet long from tip to tip, they're more like birds wings then people think.

The tops of my wings are a sort of reddish color, like an Irish Setter's fur, which transitions to a white at the bottom.

Most angels use their grace to hide their wings on Earth; it raises less questions and they don't have to keep them folded away. But since my gifts drain my energy, I can't really afford to expend grace hiding my wings. Even so, it's rare that a human would get to see them.

I don't know why I'm showing Sam my wings. Maybe it's that I trust him. Maybe I figure he'll see them sooner or later while we're working together.

Truthfully, I think the most likely reason is that he's seen so much dark and evil that Sam, the boy who drank the demon blood and swan dived into the Pit to save his brother, deserves a peek at the beautiful, at what Heaven could, and should, really be.

I flutter my wings, stretching them, before letting them settle stretched out behind me but slightly bent. Sam stares, awestruck.

"Would you like to touch them?" I ask, extending a wing towards him slightly.

"Can I?" he asks hopefully, the eagerness in his eyes reminding me of a small puppy or a fledgling who gets his first flight feathers.

"Of course."

He extends his hand slowly, carefully, almost frightened if I had to guess. He brushes some top coat feathers with two fingers very gently.

"They're like bird feathers!" he says, shocked and almost indignant.

"Well? What did you expect?" I ask. He's quiet for a moment, considering his answer.

"I- I don't know. I guess something more spectacular," he shrugs.

"I have a fourteen foot wing span, how many birds can say  _that_?"

"Name a bird that would need that kind of wingspan," San replies. I respond with a grin.

"I'm glad at least one Winchester in this house trusts me."

"Give them time. It's easier for us not to trust people at first than to be hurt later."

" _Do_  you trust me?"

"Not really. I'm just better at hiding it," Sam smiles apologetically.

"You trust that demon girlfriend of yours over me? I'm an angel."

"Bela? I don't trust her fir a second. I didn't trust her as a human; I don't trust her now. And it's nothing personal that I don't trust you. I just don't have a reason to yet."

"We're on the same side. Isn't that reason enough?"

"If I told you how many times I've heard that we'd be here for years," Sam replies with a smile. "Get some rest. We can talk about trust issues in the morning."

"Night, Sam."

"Goodnight, Ariel."

After he leaves, I lie awake awhile, trying to come up with a way to get the Winchesters to trust me, but nothing comes to me.

_What would make the Winchesters trust me?_

_What do they want? No more monsters? No, they live for the hunt._

_No more demons? But where would that get them?_

_Multiple Impalas? No, that's just Dean._

_What do the Winchesters value more than anything in the world?_

Suddenly, it hits me like a bolt of lightening, and I can't imagine why I didn't see it before.

_Family. The Winchesters value family._

* * *

Ariel plays with the twins the next day. Like the rest of the Winchesters they're irresistible.

She bounces Bobby on one knee, talking to him. Not baby talk, but real, elaborate sentences. She tells him about Heaven and angels, flying and grace. She talks about the creation of humans and the other inhabitants of Earth. She tells him that while Sandalphon was the protector of Earth, she was the angel in charge of protecting God's creations and punishing those who damage them.

Juliet watches this, unspeaking, but not angry. Just listening.

Ariel earns Juliet and Gabriel's trust very quickly.

* * *

Ariel goes to Gabriel that night.

"I need your help."

"Name it. I owe you."

"For what? I haven't done anything."

"You've given Juliet peace of mind. So, what can I do for you?"

"I want to gain Sam and Dean's trust."

"That's something that takes time. You have to earn it and work on it over time."

"I have a plan."

"That's not how it works, Ari," Gabriel smiles, shaking his head.

"This one will," Ariel says confidently. Gabriel sighs, but shrugs.

"Alright, Ari, what's your plan?"

"I'm going to rescue Adam from the Pit."

"You what?!"

"And you're going to help me."

"Are you  _high_?"

"Nope."

"You want to jump into Hell, gate crash Lucifer and Michael's pit party, snag Adam  _and_  his soul, get them both out of the Cage  _and_  Hell, try to reassemble the shattered pieces, bring them back here, where,  _if_  Adam even wakes up, he'll probably go massively insane?"

"Yes."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"You're insane, Ari."

"That's probably why it'll work."

"Even if everything goes right, you realize Adam probably hates Sam and Dean for leaving him there in the first place?" Gabriel asks.

"I planned for that too. I'm going to heal his soul. Come on, Gabe. I know you're chafing in domestic life. Let's go on an adventure."

"Steal Lucifer and Michael's favorite submissive right from under their noses? No thanks."

"What ever happened to protecting humans from your dickless brothers? Besides," Ariel adds slyly, "Don't you want revenge on Lucifer for killing you? Or, trying to?"

"You said you had a plan?" Gabriel says, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

"You grab his soul- you're an archangel, you're stronger- I grab his body, and we blow the joint.

"What about getting in? Better yet, getting out?"

"Remember who built the Cage?" Ariel asks. Gabriel looks puzzled for a moment.

"Sandalphon," he says comprehensively. "He taught you how to open it?"

"I know all the ins and outs. Even better, I've got a key," Ariel adds, pulling an ancient looking rock from her pocket; she flips it over, revealing Enochian sigils carved into the stone. "Sandalphon asked me to hold onto it."

"Do you know how to work it?"

"Obviously."

"Then open the Pit. We've got a Winchester to retrieve."

Ariel holds the key out in her cupped hands.

"Put your hands over mine," she commands. Once he does, she begins to chant.

" _Odo a a dooain de Elo, a Amayo od Goaal, a a ol de tia noco. Restil par blans ge monons od zonrensg tia sapah salamann."_

The sigils on the stone glow first blue, then red, then blinding white. The light spreads from the symbols, over the rock, onto Ariel and Gabriel's hands and up their arms, before engulfing them.

When the light fades, the angels are in a literal cage. Large, but still a cage.

"It's actually a cage," Ariel says, surprised. "I thought it was just a title.

"Who are you? What do you want?" croaks a voice behind them. Gabriel and Ariel whirl around.

Before them is Lucifer, horribly emaciated and weak, barely supporting himself, yet standing protectively in front of the unconscious forms of Michael and Adam.

"Gabriel? Ariel?" he asks hopefully. "Is it really you?"

"Luke?" Ariel asks, disbelieving. "What happened to you?"

"Years in the Cage," he explains simply. "Adam went first. Have you come to take us out?"

"We can't. We can't pull those who have sinned from the Cage," she tells him apologetically. Lucifer nods sadly.

"Then take Michael."

"We can't take him either," Gabriel explains. "He's sinned too."

"Adam?" Lucifer asks, almost pleading.

"That's why we're here," Ariel replies. Lucifer relaxes in relief. "I can do something for you and Michael." She places a hand on their foreheads and utters, "Abaramig a a dooain de Elo."

Lucifer loses his gaunt look and Michael's skin regains its normal coloring.

"It won't last forever," Lucifer reminds her.

"Ask forgiveness, Luke. Ask God's forgiveness," Ariel pleads with him. "Then you can get out."

"Father won't forgive me."

"How do you know?"

"How do  _you_?" Lucifer retorts.

"I have faith," she replies simply. "I'll come back. We can pray together."

"Take Adam. Go," Lucifer orders. Ariel lifts the frail human gently and drapes his arm over her shoulders. As she turns, Lucifer calls, "Ariel?" she turns back to her brother. "I have faith in  _you_."

Ariel smiles sadly.

"Do you have his soul, Gabriel?"

Gabriel nods, holding it in his hands. Ariel pulls out the stone and touches it to Gabriel's arm.

" _Zonrensg ol salamann."_

The stone changes colors again, and after a bright flash, Ariel, Adam, and Gabriel are back in the bunker, one person more and hearts much heavier.

Ariel lays Adam on her bed.

"Put his soul back in. Then I'll clean it and heal him. He won't remember the Pit when I'm finished," she tells Gabriel. Gabriel holds the soul in his fist and returns it to Adam's body. The damaged, listless human whimpers, but otherwise doesn't register the painful experience.

"I'll need to borrow some of your strength," Ariel says.

"I knew healing Lucifer and Michael drained you more than you let on," Gabriel replies, offering his hand.

"Abaramig a a dooain de Elo," Ariel chants. Adam's body heals, but his soul is still damaged. Ariel reaches into his soul and grasps it.

"Niisa," she commands. She removes her hand and sways. Gabriel scoops her up bridal style and lays her next to Adam.

"Get some sleep. Heal yourself, sister."

He closes the door gently behind himself and turns to face Castiel.

"Tell me you haven't done what I think you've done," Cas whispers cryptically and harshly.

"Well, I married a human, yesterday I called Dean a dick, and about five minutes ago, Ariel and I went into the Pit and dragged Adam out. What are you thinking?"

"What are  _you_?" Cas snarls in a whisper.

"He was going to die trapped in the Cage, Cassie."

Castiel blinks.

"People don't die in the Pit."

"Ari and I saw them. The Pit was killing them. Lucifer, Michael, Adam. They were near dead."

"Near dead isn't dead."

"Thank God. Ariel can't bring back the dead."

"You took the healing angel."

"Actually, she took me," Gabriel corrects.

"Where is she?"

"Sleeping. She performed a lot of healing. Just let it go, Cassie," Gabriel says wearily, walking away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Episode 1 of Season 5. In case you haven't noticed, I like season 5, and it had really good episode titles.
> 
> Look, sensitive Satan! I like sensitive Satan. Be advised, he may return, but it might be a while.
> 
> To the Enochian phrases. Below are the translations, since I can't imagine any of my readers read Enochian. (Word to the wise, if you ever feel like translating to Enochian, don't. The four different translations I used took me about 3 1/2 hours to translate.) Be aware, the language is hard to translate, so these phrase may sound a little rough. My apologies.
> 
> The phrase Ariel uses to open the Pit (Odo a a dooain de Elo, a Amayo od Goaal, a a ol de tia noco. Restil par blans ge monons od zonrensg tia sapah salamann.) translates to "Open in the name of God, the Lord and Creator, on the part of his servants. May he protect our hearts and deliver unto us safe home."
> 
> The phrase Ariel uses to heal Lucifer and Michael, and later Adam's body (Abaramig a a dooain de Elo) means "Prepare in the name of God."
> 
> The third phrase she uses when they're leaving the Pit (Zonrensg ol salamann) translates to "deliver us home".
> 
> The final word she uses when she's healing Adam's soul is "Niisa". This means "come away". Since there wasn't a direct translation for wash or clean, I mean this in the sense that she is summoning away the stains and damage on Adam's soul.


	5. Family Matters

Ariel stirs slowly, curled in someone's arms, warm and content.

 _Sandalphon?_  she thinks, sleep making her thoughts slow and fuzzy. She opens her eyes quickly, ready to believe Sandalphon's death and the resulting loneliness had just been a horrible nightmare.

For a moment, she almost believes it is him. The person she's resting against  _is_  blonde but the similarities end there. Sandalphon was tall- the tallest angel in existence- and so all his vessels had to be. This person is of middling height. Ariel studies the face for a moment before she remembers.

"Adam."

The human stirs but doesn't wake. Ariel very carefully slides out from under his arm and off the bed, careful not to jostle him. She pauses to examine the human again, but curious about him and anxious to make sure her healing worked properly. She steps closer, cocking her head to the side in Cas' trademark-fashion.

A clump of Adam's hair had fallen on his face during his sleep. It is longer than he would have normally allowed it to be because of his being locked in the Pit. Ariel leans forward and brushes it away.

Adam's eyes open, gasping, and he grabs her wrist, He gazes about wildly.

"Easy! Easy," Ariel says, trying to tug away. Adam sits up quickly.

"Who are you? Where am I?"

"Calm down, Adam, you're safe. It's okay. I'm Ariel. I'm a friend of your brothers. This is their bunker, their safe house. I'm an angel."

"What do you want with me?" Adam asks, immediately wary.

"I rescued you from the Cage."

"Rescued me? Since when are Sam and Dean and their 'friends' interested in rescuing me? Especially angels. They left me down there. Rescued Sam; left me. Why do they suddenly care?" he spits out.

"They didn't leave you, they just didn't have a way to get you."

"And you're the way?"

"I'm the angel in charge of healing."

"Did you get... everything?" Adam asks suddenly.

"We got your soul," Ariel reassures him.

"How long was I down there?"

Ariel hesitates. Should she tell him the truth, that it's been four years since he was dragged into the Pit and the only reason he can't remember it is that she had to wipe most of his memories of it off his soul? Or should she lie and hope no one mentions it? She opts for the truth.

"Four years."

"Four years?! But I don't-"

"You don't remember most of it. I had to repair your soul or the time you spent would have driven you insane. Most of that repairing was wiping away those memories. I am sorry I tampered within your mind. I know it bothers some people."

"No, it's alright," Adam replies. "I mean, you had to. But... I remember parts of it."

"I tried to leave some of it. Bits and pieces. It's not the whole picture, but the important character developing moments."

"Are Lucifer and Michael okay?"

"Adam... I'm sorry. I truly am. But we couldn't pull all of you out, and anyway, we can't pull those who have sinned and earned their punishment from the Pit. I'm going to go back though, and help get them out," she pauses. "Why do you care so much? I mean, if you don't mind?" she asks, sitting at the edge of the bed.

"The Cage... It changes you. And being in there together, everyone suffers together. It's like you hear about war vets being really close. Suffering brings you together. We had to work together to make it in the Cage. Sometimes... sometimes demons would walk by to peer at the 'ex-angels and their pet'. Like we were in a zoo. They'd point and laugh and poke things at us through the bars, like we were animals. Lucifer was used to it. So, when they came, he'd draw attention to himself and away from us. But it hurt him too. So we started taking turns. I always took it the hardest, got the most emotional. But never once did Lucifer or Michael mock me or call me weak."

Adam pauses breathing quickly.

"I didn't mean to say all that," he murmurs. Ariel reaches for his hand. He jumps, but doesn't pull away.

"Tell me. If you want to say it, you can say it to me. I won't ever judge you."

Adam meets her eyes, and his eyes say what he cannot.

_Thank you. I need this._

But also, something more. They just don't recognize it yet.

* * *

Ariel doesn't leave the room until late morning to get Adam something to eat. She walks into the kitchen where Sam is typing away at his laptop, Dean is skimming through books, and Juliet is flipping through Men of Letters files.

"What are you doing here?" Dean asks when he notices her. "Cas and Gabe left hours ago."

"I was in my room."

"Angels don't sleep," Dean says suspiciously.

"I do. I have powers that drain my grace."

"You sleep all day?" Juliet asks.

"Well... no."

Dean raises his eyebrows in comprehension and smirks.

"Making your own little piece of Heaven, huh?"

"What? No. We were just talking," Ariel says quickly.

" _We?_ " Sam asks, shocked. "You  _do_  have someone with you?"

"Well... yes."

"Who?" Dean asks.

"Dean," Juliet hisses.

"I have a right to know who she brings into my home."

"It's no one you'd be opposed to..."

"Let me decide that. Who is it?"

Ariel sighs.

"You're not going to believe me."

"Who?" Sam asks.

"I'll get him, but you have to be careful around him. He's shell shocked."

"Sure," Dean agrees.

Ariel returns to her room. Adam looks up in alarm, but calms when he recognizes her.

"Adam," she says in a soothing voice. "Your brothers want to see you. But I should tell you somethings."

"Alright," Adam replies warily.

"Firstly, Dean is dating Castiel. Do you remember him?" Adam nods. "Cas isn't here right now, but I wanted you to know. Secondly, you have a younger, half-sister named Juliet. Thirdly, she's married to Gabriel, the archangel, and they have twins. Okay?"

"I guess dating angels is a Winchester tradition," Adam jokes weakly.

"I would agree with you, but you haven't seen Sam's taste in partners," Ariel teases back. "There's one more thing you should know. None of them know I rescued you except Gabriel, so they're going to be surprised. That was the intention."

"Okay."

"Are you ready?" Ariel asks. Adam takes a deep breath, then nods. He stands up. Ariel offers her hand, which he takes gratefully. She leads him from the room and into the kitchen where the Winchesters are waiting.

Juliet looks on in confusion as Dean and Sam's jaws drop. Dean, who had been leaning against the table, sits back on it fully in surprise, as if he's forgotten how to support his own weight. Sam, on the other hand, stands up slowly and walks to Adam as if he can't believe his eyes.

"Adam?"

"Hey, Sam."

Sam blinks a few times, then suddenly engulfs Adam in a bear hug. Adam flinches at first, alarmed by Sam's sudden movement, then hugs Sam back. Dean on the other hand, hasn't moved. Instead, he mouths something quietly to himself, as if he's trying to convince himself. Suddenly, he too jumps up and embraces Adam, his face split by a wide grin.

Juliet turns to Ariel.

"Adam?  _The_ Adam?" she asks. Ariel nods. Juliet stands up and walks to Adam as Dean and Sam move away, staring at their brother. She approaches him slowly, like one might approach a frightened animal.

"Hello, Adam. I'm Juliet, your younger sister."

"Hi," Adam replies quietly.

"Come and sit down," she says, leading him gently to the table. "You're probably hungry, right? That's why Ariel came in here, right?" Adam nods. "Let me get you something to eat."

"You're such a mom," Sam teases.

"Well, you Winchester boys need one, don't you?" Juliet replies. The boys stare at each other in silence while Juliet makes Adam some food.

"How did you get out?" Dean asks.

"Ariel," Adam replies simply, his mouth full of food Juliet places in front of him.

"You brought him back?" Sam turns to her in awe. Ariel shrugs. "How?"

"Sandalphon built the Cage. Before he died, he gave me a key to hold onto."

"You have the freakin' key?! Better yet, holy shit, there's a freakin' key?!" Dean exclaims. Adam jumps. "Sorry, Adam."

"It's a secret key. Or, it  _was_."

"How did you get both his body and his soul out?" Sam turns to her.

"Gabriel went with me."

"What?!" Juliet gasps, dropping the plate she's holding into the sink. She immediately turns her face to the ceiling. "Gabriel. Get. Your. Angelic. Ass. Here... NOW!"

"We might want to go," Sam suggests quietly.

"You boys can leave. Ariel, if you move an inch, I know where my husband keeps the angel blades."

"Don't threaten her," Ariel snarls, his eyes narrowing and his fist clenching on the table top.

"It's okay, Adam," Ariel says, putting his hand over his fist.

"On second thought, this is getting interesting," Dean replies to Sam.

Gabriel appears next to Juliet while Cas pops up next to Dean.

"What's going on?" the blue-eyed angel whispers.

"Apparently, Gabriel and Ariel snuck out last night and freed Adam from the Cage."

"Yes."

"You knew?" Dean asks, surprised, but not angry. Cas nods.

"Look who showed up, Gabriel," Juliet says in a falsely cheerful tone, her eyes cold as steel. "Adam Winchester. Fresh from the Cage. And Ariel told me the strangest thing. She said that you went with her to rescue him. Now I  _know_  you wouldn't do something that dangerous and  _stupid_  without saying a word to me."

"Jules-"

"What the  _Hell_  were you thinking?"

"She asked me for help and I thought he'd suffered enough."

"You could have  _died_ , or been trapped down there!"

"I'm sorry, Jules."

Juliet glances at him and her shoulders drop.

"I can't do this without you," she admits. "I need you, you stupid angel."

"I know. I'm not going anywhere," Gabriel tells her, wrapping his arms around her.

"Next time you run off to do something stupid, tell me first."

"Always."

* * *

With explanations, apologies, and family reunions out of the way. Ariel decides her next big adventure is clothing Adam. Which, being an angel, is no adventure at all.

She's sprawled on her bed, reading a book, when Adam comes back from the shower, dressed in the new clothes.

"Look at you. You clean up really nice, Winchester."

"Miligan," Adam corrects.

"Hm?"

"My last name is Miligan," Adam explains firmly.

"Alright. Adam Miligan," Ariel repeats carefully.

"Thank you," Adam says. He moves over to the bed and sits gently on the edge. "Ariel, could you do something else for me please?"

"Of course."

"Could you cut my hair? It got really long when I was in the Pit, and I don't like it."

"Absolutely, Adam," Ariel replies, scissors appearing in her hand. She shifts behind Adam. "How much do you want off?" she asks, lowering her body slowly so as not to startle Adam when she bumps him. Adam shows her and she begins snipping, slowly at first.

"Couldn't you just use your grace and, I don't know,  _poof_  it off?" Adam asks. Ariel tosses back her head and laughs.

"That's not quite how it works, but yes, I technically could. But using my grace a lot wears me out, so I tend to not use my grace if possible."

"Oh," Adam says quietly. "Ariel?" he asks suddenly.

"Hm?"

"Will you tell me about Heaven?"

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything," Adam replies.

"That's a lot to cover," Ariel warns him.

"Please. Tell me everything. I mean, if you don't mind," Adam adds quickly.

"I don't mind. I don't mind doing things for you, Adam," Ariel tells him. "Alright, where to start? Ah, The Garden."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Chapter title episode 6X07.


	6. Slumber Party

For Adam's second night in the bunker, and all the nights in the foreseeable future, his siblings provide him with a room.

"Ta-da!" Dean says, showing him the room with a flair that is part game-show-host, part first-time-homeowner.

"Thank you. It's great," Adam tells them sincerely, but without exuberance. To be fair, Adam hasn't really gotten excited about much of anything recently.

Never the less, that night he sleeps in the room, since it means so much to Dean.

* * *

That night, Ariel is fast asleep in her bed, when suddenly she starts awake. She gazes about, looking for a threat.

She hears quiet gasping from the room next to hers and recognizes their making immediately. She gets out her bed and goes to Adam's room without another thought, her wings streaming behind her.

His nightmares haven't woken him yet, which is surprising considering the amount of thrashing he's doing and how loud his whimpers have gotten.

"Adam," she murmurs, moving to him. "Adam."

He jerks one final time and startles awake with a shout.

"He, it's okay. It's okay," Ariel says soothingly. He stares at her trembling. She sits on the edge of the bed. "Did you have a nightmare?" she asks. He nods silently. "Do you want to talk about it?" He shakes his head quickly. "Okay," she replies, shifting her weight.

"Please don't leave me!"

"I'll stay for a little while, Adam. But I need to sleep too."

"Then sleep here," he tells her, puling back the edge of the blanket. "Just... please don't leave. The nightmares will come back if you go."

Ariel looks into his eyes and sees the sheer terror there. And she can't bear to leave him.

"Okay, Adam," she says, sliding in next to him. The youngest Winchester brother curls up next to her, his head resting against her shoulder with her arms around him. He is still shaking. "It's okay, Adam. You're okay."

"I'm sorry, Ariel."

"It's alright, Adam."

"Will you tell me more about Heaven?"

"Sure, Adam," she replies, shifting and letting her wings drape behind her off the bed. "Where was I?"

"Your first flight."

"That's right. Well, angels get their flight feathers when they're about thirty years old. Angel still look like human children then. When flight feathers come in, they push the old down feathers out, kind of like teeth. I remember it itched. And hurt. But mostly itched.

"When all my flight feathers came in, I had to learn how to fly. There was just one problem... I was afraid of heights."

"What?" Adam asks, surprised. Ariel nods against the top of his head.

"I know, right? We figured I'd be pretty useless as an angel.

"But there was one angel who wouldn't give up on me. My big brother, Lucifer. Every morning and afternoon he would take me out flying. At first, he would only be a few inches off the ground. Every time he'd get higher. Soon it was a few feet, then several feet. Soon enough, we were several stories in the air. After I got confident, he taught me how to fly myself, the same way, a few inches, a few more, until I could fly by myself.

"That's when everyone realized, I was the best flyer in my class. I just needed someone to believe in me."

"Wow. Lucifer was a total sweetie wasn't he?"

"Well, not to everyone. When he taught Zachariah how to fly, he launched him off a cloud. Kind of screwed him over during the Apocalypse when Zach backed Michael's team. But, then, Zach was always an ass, so he probably deserved it."

"Yeah, he was a jerk."

"You met him? Oh, right, the Apocalypse," Ariel remembers.

"He promised me I'd get into Heaven if I said 'yes' to Michael."

"Did he?"

"We see how well that turned out."

Ariel turns her face to Adam's.

"You're going to go to Heaven, Adam. But not just because some angels promised. When you get to Heaven, it'll be because you, Adam Miligan, deserved Heaven."

"Thanks, Ari," Adam mumbles, into her shoulder.

"That's the first time you've called me that," Ariel says surprised. Adam shrugs.

"Ari?" Adam asks after a minute.

"Yeah?"

"Is my mom in Heaven?"

"I don't know. There's a lot of humans in Heaven. But I bet she is."

"She's probably ashamed of me," Adam says suddenly.

"What? No, Adam, no. She wouldn't be ashamed. And you shouldn't be either. You did what you had to do to protect her and yourself."

"I helped with the Apocalypse and wound up in Hell for my trouble. Does that sound like 'good son' material to you?"

"You said 'yes' to Michael and saved your mother from begin tortured until you did. You saved Dean from doing the same and suffering the same fate."

"Yeah, some good that did me. They forgot me down there."

"Adam-"

"Don't say they just didn't have a way to get me out. They got Sam out!"

"And abandoned his soul, or did you forget? What they brought out wasn't Sam, just like the one who brought him out wasn't Cas. Did you want that?"

"No," Adam replies, surprised at her vehemence. Ariel calms down when she sees Adam's face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get angry. You're out now. And that's all that matters. We should get some sleep."

Adam nods, curling up against her again. Ariel takes her upper wing and drapes it over the two of them like a blanket.

"Good night, Adam."

"Night, Ari."

* * *

The next morning, Ariel wakes up to the most wonderful feeling of someone running their fingers through her feathers. She sighs contendly. The hand pauses and draws away. She grabs the wrist gently.

"Don't stop," she murmurs sleepily. She hears Adam chuckle before returning his fingers to the feathers.

"Good morning," he says. "I didn't really notice them last night. They're beautiful."

"Thank you," she mutters back, sitting up. "How'd you sleep?"

"On my back, next to you."

"Smart ass," Ariel grumbles.

"I slept well," he concedes.

"Good. Sleep is the best cure."

"Is that a medical fact?" Adam teases.

"It is actually."

"Well, then, maybe we should just never wake up. Stay in bed all day."

"Look who's come out his shell," Ariel says proudly. "Making jokes, laughing. You're going to be just fine."

"Next thing you know, I'll be hunting monsters and hitting on every breathing creature in a two-mile radius, just like Dean."

"Dean does flirt with a lot of people," Ariel agrees.

"Cas has a lot of faith in him I guess," Adam shrugs.

"I wouldn't be able to stand it."

"Why not?"

"I would constantly worried about Dean, and who he was with, and where he was going," Ariel pauses. "I guess Cas trusts Dean more than I do, but I'd always be worried about running off with some girl he met in a bar."

"Dean wouldn't do that to Cas."

"I'm sure he wouldn't. But I'd have a hard time with it."

"You deserve better," Adam whispers.

"Thanks, Adam," Ariel says. She stretches, slowly, pointing her toes. "Ugh, we should get up before your brothers start to talk."

"Do we have to?" Adam groans, burying his face in a pillow. Ariel laughs as she stands up by the edge of the bed.

"Come on," she says grabbing his arm and pulling him up. But she pulls a little too hard, and Adam isn't expecting it, so instead of Adam just sitting up, he's pulled up until he's just a few inches from Ariel. They stare at each other breathless.

"Sorry," Ariel breathes out. She draws back. "I should go change. Or your brothers will really have something to talk about."

Adam blinks.

"Yeah... yeah, okay."

"I'll come back when I'm done, and we could see what your siblings have planned for the day."

"Sure. Yeah," Adam says as she walks out the door. As soon as she is gone, she slumps forward, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. "Oh my God. What the Hell was  _that_?"

* * *

Ariel closes the door behind her and leans back against it.

"What was  _that_?"

"You're telling me."

Ariel jerks up and looks over to where Gabriel is leaning against the wall next to her, smirking.

"So, tell me, Ari, are you blind, or just dumb?" Gabriel asks. "I mean that in the nicest way possible, but seriously, what the Hell?"

"What are you talking about, Gabriel?" she asks, standing up and walking across the hall. Gabriel follows her. She starts grabbing clothes and throwing them onto the bed.

"Adam," Gabriel tells her.

"What?"

"You asked what I'm talking about. I'm talking about Adam. And you."

"What about us?"

"Like I said, blind or dumb?"

"Are you going to talk in riddles all day, or are you going to give me a straight answer?" Ariel snaps.

"Ooh, so the sexual tension's getting to you?" Gabriel smirks. "Okay, here's the kicker, little sis. This one goes both ways."

"Straight answers, Gabriel."

"Sorry, Ari, but that's all you get. Work through it yourself," Gabriel turns to the door, then suddenly turns back. "Oh, one more thing. Celibacy won't bring Sandalphon back. And I really don't think he'd mind any way."

Ariel stares after Gabriel in confusion for a moment before she understands. The realization floors her when she realizes Gabriel is right.

She changes quickly and hurries across the hall to talk to Adam.

When she gets to the door she stops. All of her happy energy drains away. She presses her forehead to the door.

"What am I doing?" she whispers quietly.

Suddenly the door swings open quickly. Ariel stumbles, wings flying out to keep her balance.

"Oh, sorry, Ari. You okay?"

"I'm fine," she replies, straightening up, dusting herself off, and restoring her wings.

"I was about to come talk to you," Adam tells her.

"I was doing the same thing."

"Really? Come on in," Adam says nervously. "So, um... what did you want to talk about?"

"Why don't you start?"

"Well, uh. I wanted to say 'thanks'. For saving my life. And after. During my breakdowns. Of which I have had two, in as many days. Um... and I wanted to tell you how important you how important you are to me. And I know how much Sandalphon meant to you, since he was your soulmate and all. But I wondered if... maybe you would be willing to give me a try. I mean, I know we aren't soulmates, and I don't expect it anyway. It's just... I really like you and-"

He doesn't get to say anymore, since Ariel kisses him and interrupts.

"Shut up," she murmurs, smiling as she pulls away.

"Okay," Adam replies, their foreheads pressed together.

"Didn't we have plans for the day?" Ariel asks.

"Who cares?"

Suddenly, there's a pounding at the door. Ariel sighs.

"What?"

"It's Dean," he calls through the door. "Gabriel sent me to tell you we're having a family movie night and you're invited. And he says that by invited, he means ordered, because you two are not allowed to spend the day making out in Adam's room."

Adam sighs and Ariel groans.

"Fine!" Adam calls back. "But if the movie sucks, we're leaving."

Gabriel's voice joins Dean's.

"It's the newest 'Thor' movie, it'll be awesome, and leaving is not an option."

"Tell me we're watching it for some reason other than Loki's in it," Ariel shouts.

Juliet's voice joins the chorus.

"Yes. Tom Hiddleston is playing Loki in it."

"Hey!" Gabriel exclaims indignantly.

"Sorry, honey, but if I ever left you, it would be for Tom Hiddleston."

"Fine, we'll watch the movie, but only if there's Rasinets involved," Ariel calls.

"And popcorn," Adam adds.

"And I'm allowed to mix them together," Ariel adds.

"I love mixing Rasinets and popcorn," Adam tells her.

"Seriously? I thought that was just me."

"Oh, God, they're in the obnoxious couple phase already," Gabriel groans.

* * *

Dean and Cas are curled up on one end of the couch when Adam and Ariel walk in. Gabriel is sitting on the love seat with Juliet's head is his lap and her feet draped off the other end. Sam is sitting in a chair a little to the side. Ariel and Adam take the other end of the couch.

"Sam, call your girlfriend so we can get the family movie night under way," Gabriel orders.

"Bela's busy," Sam replies.

"Too bad. Tell her to get here or we'll exorcise her."

"Gabriel," Juliet chastises.

"She doesn't want to come," Sam adds.

"I don't care."

"For God's sake, Gabriel! We broke up!" Sam snaps. "Now shut up and put in the movie."

"You what?!" Dean asks. "Since when? Why didn't you tell me?"

"None of your business," Sam mutters under his breath.

"Bela?" Adam asks quietly.

"Demon. Sam's ex," Juliet explains.

"You're dating a demon?" Adam asks.

"I've met more dick angels than demons. No offense, guys," Sam retorts.

"None taken," the angels chorus.

"You know, I know a few available pagan gods if you're interested," Gabriel offers. "Male or female, whatever floats your boat."

"No thanks, Gabe."

"Seriously, I don't judge. Both? That can be arranged."

"Again, Gabriel, no thanks."

"So, movie then?" Gabriel asks.

"Can I turn into a drinking game?" Sam asks.

"That depends. Dean, what kind of drunk is Sam?" Juliet turns to the eldest brother.

"Over-sharing, self-hating, and occasionally flirty."

"Sorry, Sam. We don't mind if you over-share or flirt, but we're not going to let you hate yourself, especially cause some whore dumped you," Juliet tells him.

"We especially don't mind if you flirt," Crowley's trademark gravelly English voice pipes up from behind the group. Only Ariel and Adam bother to get up.

"Hey, Crow. Pull up a chair. Movie night," Juliet says calmly, not moving from Gabriel's lap.

"Thank you. Heard about Moose and and the whore, so I came right up."

"Thanks for the solidarity, guys, but this isn't necessary. And we don't have to talk bad about her. It's okay; I'm good."

Crowley leans over the back of the love seat next to Gabriel and Juliet.

"Heard you two made some little half angels."

"You wanna see them?" Juliet asks excitedly.

"You have to ask?"

When Crowley and Juliet leave, Ariel turns to Gabriel.

"Why didn't you mention being buddies with the King of Hell?"

"Is it important?" Gabriel asks.

"A little bit, yeah."

"Oh. We're friends with Crowley."

Ariel sighs exasperated as Crowley and Juliet return. Crowley grabs a chair.

"So, are the rumors true?"

"Which ones?"

"Some one tried to recreate the opening scene from the Winchester saga?"

"Oh. Yes, the rumors are true," Gabriel replies.

"Who was it?"

"Some lower class chaos demon," Dean tells him.

"But, get this," Sam adds. "He claimed he was working for Azazel."

"Coming back from the dead? Clichéd," Crowley scoffs. "Speaking of back from the dead, hello, Adam," he adds.

"Uh... hello," Adam replies uncertainly.

"Name's Crowley. King of hell. Don't worry, I don't bite. Hard," he adds as an after thought. "And you are?" he asks, turning to Ariel.

"An angel."

"Got that part, thank you, sweetheart. I meant your name."

"I'm Ariel."

"The healing angel," Crowley says, impressed. "Well, welcome to Team Free Will."

"Wait, who said  _you_  were on Team Free Will?" Dean asks.

"I did. When I saved your skins. More than once."

"Welcome to Team Free Will," Sam says. Dean rolls his eyes.

"Wasn't this supposed to be a movie night?" Gabriel reminds them.

"Alright, start it up," Ariel tells him. "But if it's dumb, I'm out of here."

"Hush up and eat your Rasinets," Juliet tells her before Gabriel can argue with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Episode 9X04.


	7. The Magnificent Seven

Dean decides the best way for Sam to get over Bela- aside from being like his big brother and getting under someone else- is to find a new hunt and get to it. He employs Juliet to help.

"Normally Sam would be hunting for a case, but since the case is to help him, it's up to us."

"Hello, Winchesters," Ariel says from the door. "Want any help?"

"Do you know where we could find a hunt to take Sam on?" Dean asks.

"There's a werewolf problem in Sapulpa, Oklahoma."

"Sam'll love that. He loves places you can't pronounce the name of."

"Who does?" Sam interrupts from the door.

"You do. Pack you bags, Sammy, there's a werewolf in Sapulpa with your name on it."

"Really? Just out of the blue like that?" Sam asks skeptically.

"Totally. We get in Baby and drive, find a cheap motel, eat in sleazy diners and kill the evil son of a bitch."

"Is this because of the thing with Bela? Because I'm fine, Dean."

"See, that's just what we say. Even when we're not fine, it's always 'I'm fine'. So, I don't really believe you. So you and I are going hunting. No arguments," Dean orders, leaving the room to ensure he gets the last word. Ariel turns to Sam.

"Bit of a drama queen, isn't he?"

* * *

The next day, Sam and Dean drive off in the Impala, leaving their younger siblings, the angels, the twins, and Crowley behind at the bunker. Dean extracts several promises from everyone he can not to leave Crowley alone  _anywhere_  in the bunker.

Dean seems a little nervous to leave people alone in the bunker without either him or Sam, but he trusts Juliet and Cas to keep an eye on things.

The group, sans Crowley-who said he had "important business-, wind up in the main room, not doing much of anything.

"So," Gabriel says, "Time for a crazy party? Now that big brothers Winchester aren't here to rain on our parade?"

"No crazy parties," Cas interjects. Juliet nods in agreement.

"Knock knock?" a quiet voice calls from the door. The red head the voice belongs to strides into the room. "What's up bitc-"

She cuts off when she sees the group.

"Am I in the wrong bunker?" she asks.

"Charlie?" Cas asks standing up.

"Oh good, I'm in the right place. Hey, angel. Where's Dean and Sam?"

"On their way to a hunt in Oklahoma; why, what's the matter?"

"Oh no. Well, I have a case for them," she says nervously.

"What kind of case?" Juliet asks.

"Uh, there's kind of a vampire. Chasing me."

"Chasing you? Now?" Adam asks in alarm.

"Uh... yeah."

"Close the door. Get inside," Cas orders, taking charge. "Do you know if they're using anything other than scent to track you?"

Charlie shrugs.

"The bunker will block any tracer signals, so that shouldn't be a problem," Ariel says. "Even witchcraft."

"It blocks electronic signals too," Juliet adds.

"I'll call Dean and tell them to come back," Cas tells them.

"Don't," Juliet stops him."Charlie's safe in the bunker, and between the four of us, we can stop one vampire."

"Four? Sorry, but there are six of us," Ariel reminds her.

"I didn't count Adam, for obvious reasons, and this vampire is after Charlie. I don't think we should put her at risk."

"What 'obvious reasons'?" Adam asks.

"Adam, you were trapped in the Pit for four years. You're a little jumpy and tense. I think it might be best if you avoid high stress situations," Juliet says placatingly.

"Screw that. I can help. Can't I, Ariel?" Adam replies.

"I'm not in charge of you."

"But you're my doctor. You can discourage me."

"I don't see any reason too. You're recovering well."

"See?" Adam turns to Juliet.

"No offense, but Ariel's hardly the most objective doctor," Castiel tells him. "She also does not possess a medical license."

"Fine, Cas. You're objective. Am I healthy enough to hunt with you guys?" Adam asks. Cas pauses. "Come on, Cas. Angel trumps doctor."

Cas tilts his head to the side as he examines Adam. Cas sighs.

"I see no reason you can't be allowed to help."

Before anyone can respond, there's a knock at the door. Charlie gasps.

"It's him. It's the vampire."

"That's no vampire," Gabriel says, a smile lighting up his face.

"What is it?" Juliet asks.

"That's impossible," Cas exhales in shock.

Ariel races up the stairs and jerks open the door in excitement.

"Get in here, you idiot. Didn't you hear about the vampire on the loose?" she says, grabbing the stranger and dragging him inside.

"Should I have?" the blond man in a v-neck asks. "Hello, little sister."

"Balthazar!" she exclaims excitedly, hugging him. "Where  _have_  you been?!"

"Oh, here, there. Dead. You know how it is. Hey, Castiel, Gabriel. Assorted friends."

"What are you doing in?" Cas asks shocked.

"By that you mean  _alive_?" Balthazar clarifies. He shrugs. "Isn't that the million-dollar question?"

"Are you the vampire?" Charlie asks nervously.

"Hardly, chère. Less fangs, more feathers."

" _You're_  an angel?" Adam cocks an eyebrow in disbelief.

"I wouldn't scoff if I were you,  _Winchester_ ," he replies, stressing the last name.

"Balthazar," Cas says, warning him.

"Vampire attack?" Juliet reminds the group. "Gabriel, you and I will gather up long blades: machetes, swords, the works. Cas, take Charlie and Balthazar and find whatever dead man's blood Sam and Dean have stocked up. Ariel and Adam, go through Men of Letter's files and find what you can about vampires. Sam should have alphabetized them."

The groups move in opposite directions, busying themselves with their tasks.

* * *

"Vampires... v... v..." Adam mutters, sliding his fingers along book spines.

"Here," Ariel calls from the other side of the room, grabbing stacks of books off the shelves.

"God, there's at least fifty," Adam exclaims.

"'Vampires of the World', 'The Ultimate Guide to Vampires'," Ariel reads off the titles, "'Dracula'. Oh, wait, that's the Bram Stoker novel."

"What? Why do the Men of Letters have Bram Stoker's 'Dracula'?"

"They appreciate classic literature, why else?"

"Okay, but why do they have it stored with the how-to guides for hunting vampires?"

"Guess a fiction section doesn't look very professional. Pull out the one's that aren't fiction. Ignore, Stoker, Anne Rice, that sort of thing."

"And Meyer."

"What?"

"The 'Twilight' books. I should ignore those. For lots of reasons," Adam mutters.

"'Twilight' wasn't out before the Men of Letters were disbanded," Ariel reminds him.

"Then I probably need to have a conversation with Sam and Dean about these," he says, tossing her one of the series.

"Come on, let's get back to work. Ignore the fiction," she reminds him.

"Doesn't narrow it down much," Adam replies, carrying an armload of books to the table before coming back for more.

"Flip to the index. Only keep the one's that say something about repelling vampires or killing them."

* * *

Cas leads Charlie and Balthazar down the stairs to a row of nine coolers in the basement.

"Guess we know where they keep the skeletons in the closet," Balthazar jokes. Charlie and Castiel both glare at him. Cas turns back to the coolers.

"The dead man's blood is labelled. They also have v's on the seals."

"There's stuff in here  _besides_  dead man's blood?" Charlie asks warily.

"Weak stomach, belle dame?" Balthazar teases.

"I don't exactly want to come across a human heart," Charlie snaps. "And would you stop flirting with me in French?"

"Why? Is it distracting?"

"Hardly. You are  _not_  my type."

"I think I could grow on you," he tells her.

"Charlie likes women, Balthazar," Cas says, removing his head from a cooler.

"Oh. My mistake. My apologies."

'You better take that apology, Charlie. I've never heard him apologize to anyone."

* * *

The groups gather back in the main room, blades, blood, and books in hand. Juliet and Gabriel pass weapons to everyone and Charlie and the angels hand out syringes of dead man's blood as Ariel and Adam fill them in on what they've found.

"Vampires have a light aversion, since they're senses are heightened by the change. Flashlights might be a temporary solution. Also, their hearing is heightened," Ariel tells the group.

"Are you saying we should defeat the vamp by clapping at it?" Balthazar asks.

"No. Air horns," she says, pulling out a handful. "And, obviously, don't let him bite you."

Gabriel turns to the door suddenly. The other angels follow quickly on high alert.

"He's here," Ariel whispers. The group rolls their shoulders, shifts their weight, and tightens their grips on their weapons.

"Ready?" Cas asks. They nod. He leads them up the stairs and they gather at the door.

"Still just the one?" Juliet asks. Balthazar jerks his head in reply. "That's unusual. Vamps aren't loners."

"Um... he wasn't..." Charlie says. " I... may have killed his mate."

"Tell me you're joking," Balthazar turns to her. Charlie shakes her head. "Alright. One pissed-off, mate-less vampire. Everybody ready?"

"As we'll ever be," Adam replies.

"Bal?" Gabriel asks, gesturing to the door. Balthazar uses his grace to swing the door open. The doorway is empty.

"Gabe?" Juliet whispers.

"He's still there. He's waiting for the right moment."

Suddenly, the vampire charges in. A poor decision, since it's one against seven, but he gains the element of surprise.

He charges right towards Adam, probably sensing him as the weakest link and not as obvious a target as Charlie. As soon as he begins to move, Ariel darts forward with a machete, but he dodges around her.

The vampire is inches from Adam when Adam's blade passes through his throat.

After watching him fall to the ground, Adam looks back at the group who is staring at him in amazement.

"What?"

"Winchester," Balthazar murmurs, vaguely impressed.

"No. Miligan," Adam corrects.

"Whatever."

"Close the door," Cas tells them. "Charlie, would you like to stay the night?"

"Uh... sure."

"What about me?" Balthazar asks.

"You weren't just chased by a vampire and you don't have to drive home," Juliet replies. "But you are invited to stay."

Suddenly the group hears crying.

"I'll handle it, Jules. Get Charlie settled," Gabriel volunteers. Balthazar looks at him in surprise.

"Since when are you up for babysitting?"

"Since they're his kids," Ariel replies with a smirk. Balthazar's head snaps back and forth between his sister and his brother so fast the group worries he'll get whiplash.

"Tell me she's joking."

Gabriel smirks and shakes his head.

"Come meet them."

"Come on, Charlie, let's get you settled in," Juliet tells her.

"Hear you lot took down a vampire," Crowley says suddenly from the top of the stairs.

"I told you to close the door," Cas sighs, "Now we have strays."

"Oh, your lover is rubbing off on you, Castiel. All that snarky Winchester sass, and none of the charm."

"What do you want, Crowley?"

"Thought I'd come help."

"You're a little late," Ariel tells him.

"I noticed. I figured I'd stick around in case you need more help."

"We could do without your kind of help."

"Never the less, here I am."

"Hello, Crowley," Juliet greets him when she returns. "Need something, or just visiting?"

"I had planned on helping with the vampire attack, but-"

"Sure," Juliet says skeptically, "Crow, if you were going to help, you'd have been here in time to  _help_. A visit then?"

Crowley rolls his eyes.

"Is my old room still available?"

"The one in the dungeon with the chains? Sure, if you're into that kind of thing," Juliet teases. "Or, you could have a  _real_  room."

"Sure your brothers won't mind?"

"The big ones are out of town. Werewolf in Sapulpa. So, you staying or what?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Episode 3x01.


	8. The Curious Case Of Dean WInchester

Crowley is seated at a table in the main room when the rest of the group wakes up.

"Morning."

"Good morning," Juliet replies cheerily.

"Oh, God, you're a morning person," Balthazar groans.

"Why do you care? You're an angel; you're an all-the-time person."

"I still hate morning people," he replies. "Where do your brothers keep the scotch?"

"Balthazar..."

"They don't keep anything good," Crowley interrupts. "Craig?" he offers, creating a glass and extending it to him.

"We're going to get along fine, you and I," Balthazar says, sitting across from him and the glass. He raises it in a mock toast before raising it to his lips.

"It's a little early, isn't it?" Adam asks.

"Have you met them?" Ariel replies.

Adam opens his mouth to respond, but is interrupted by a knock on the door.

"What  _now_?" Juliet asks.

"One of yours, Crowley?" Ariel turns to him curiously.

"Oh... holy Hell, I'm in trouble," he murmurs, turning to the door and crossing himself.

"That's blasphemy," Cas reprimands.

"If you were in my position, you'd want help from all sides too," Crowley snaps.

"Should I let them in?" Gabriel asks warily. Crowley draws in a deep breath, then nods. The woman at the door is wearing jeans with a button-down and a blazer. Her hair is blonde and curly.

And she's glaring at Crowley with so much anger in her eyes it makes even the ultra-confident King of Hell quake.

"I should have known I'd find you  _here_. Anytime you go missing, it's always, 'Winchesters. Winchesters. Moose. Winchesters. Sam. Dean. Castiel.  _Moose',_ " the blonde snarls. "Anytime Hell can't find it's leader, it's a safe bet the Winchesters are behind it. Them and their pet angels," she adds, marching down the stairs.

"Liza-" Crowley says, but the woman makes a noise that stops him dead.

"You disappear into the blue, with no word, and didn't come home all night. There were demons crawling the earth searching for you everywhere. I led several search parties myself. Then, about five minutes ago, this lower-class  _chaos demon_  tells me he heard you were going to the bunker. Imagine!  _Me_ having to hear your whereabouts from a  _chaos demon_. So I headed straight over her to see if the Winchesters had you locked up again, even though I know they're over in No-where-ville, Oklahoma."

"Liz..."

"And what do I find?" she asks over him. " _You_. Getting all chummy with three Winchesters and four of Heaven's greatest hits. Drinking  _scotch_  with the Titanic angel. Did I miss anything?"

"Elizabeth..."

"Any excuse? Any?"

"Not a one."

"Well, you're not an idiot."

"I have a question," Ariel announces. "Who are you?"

"This is Elizabeth... she's my wife."

"You have a  _wife_?" Gabriel asks. Crowley nods.

"Not that it seems to matter anymore," Elizabeth replies coldly.

"Doesn't matter? Lizzie, it always matters," Crowley protests.

"Then why didn't you tell me where you were going so I didn't have to wonder if you were lying dead somewhere?"

"We'd had a fight. I figured you didn't want to hear from me."

"Coward. You were afraid to call me," she replies, but some of the venom has drained away.

"I am a coward. I'm always afraid that one day, you're going to realize you deserve better."

"I  _do_  deserve better."

" _I know."_

Elizabeth glares at him for a moment.

"Smooth talker," she tells him, like it's the rudest thing she can think of. "Once a salesman, always a salesman."

"Force of habit, love."

Elizabeth continues to glare, but her anger is rapidly fading.

"This always happens, you know. You do something stupid, I get angry, then you pull out some smooth line and I forgive you like the idiot I am."

"You have too much heart for a demon, love."

"See, there it is. There's the line," Elizabeth sighs, shaking her head. "Meet me at home. We'll finish this conversation once I tell Hell you're alive."

She disappears and Crowley sighs in relief.

"You have a  _wife_?" Balthazar asks in disbelief.

"Don't go spreading that around. Bad for business. Ta," he replies, snapping his fingers, and disappearing.

"Did you know about this?" Gabriel turns to Juliet.

"Sure. None of you angels knew?"

The angels shake their heads.

"You're besties with the King of Hell?" Charlie asks in shock.

"Sure. He gave me a dog once," Juliet answers fondly.

"Crowley breeds dogs?"

"Hellhounds," Juliet replies with raised eyebrows and a smirk. Charlie is ready to respond when her phone beeps. She pulls it out and checks it.

"Oh shit."

"What's wrong?"

"My girlfriend. She's starting to worry. I should go. Say 'hi' to Sam and Dean, okay?"

"Sure. Glad we could help, Charlie," Juliet tells her. "Stop by and visit sometime. Leave the vampires at home next time though, alright?"

Charlie starts laughing.

"Definitely. Bye, bitches."

"Is 'bitches' a term of endearment?" Cas asks.

"When Charlie says it, yes."

* * *

The humans are eating lunch in the kitchen with the angels milling about when Cas looks up alarmed.

"What is it?" Ariel asks.

"Sam is praying to me. Urgently. I'll be back," he says, disappearing.

Cas appears in front of Sam in his motel room in Oklahoma.

"What is it? Where's Dean? Is he alright?"

'Well, he's alive..."

"What happened?!"

"Calm down. It wasn't a werewolf here. Get this, it was a witch. And guess who got mojo'd.  _Again_."

"What did she do to him?" Cas bellows, shoving Sam against the wall.

"Sammy?" a soft, childlike voice calls from the doorway. "Why is the man yelling?"

Cas turns to the little blonde boy in the doorway. His confusion lasts only a moment before he recognizes the freckles and bright green eyes.

"De..? Sam... is that..?"

"Yep."

"Sammy?" the little boy asks again.

"It's okay, Dean. This is Cas. He's a child and lifting him up. "Come say 'hi'," he adds, walking back to Cas.

Dean looks up shyly at Cas through his eyelashes.

"Hi," he whispers, before burying his head back in Sam's shoulder.

Castiel looks at Sam in confusion. Sam nods encouragingly.

"Hello, Dean," Cas replies uncomfortably.

"Cas is an angel," Sam tells Dean. Dean looks up excitedly.

"Do you has wings? An' a hawo?"

"I have wings."

"Can I sees dem?"

"You can see them later, Dean. Right now, you need to go to bed."

"Otay, Sammy," Dean says. Sam sets him on the ground. "Can I has a goodnight kiss?"

"Night, Sammy. Night, Cassie," Dean choruses after Sam kisses his forehead. He darts over to the bed and climbs in.

"Let's talk outside, Cas," Sam tells him.

"Wait! Sammy, what about da monstwers?" Dean calls, his eyes wide and his lip trembling.

"I'll be right outside, Dean. I won't let the monsters get you."

"Otay, Sammy."

Sam gestures Castiel out the door. He closes it quietly behind him and turns to the angel.

"Well, this is... unusual."

"Tell me about it," Sam sighs, running a hand through his hair. "What the Hell do I do? I don't know how to raise a kid! And now I'm responsible for raising my older brother."

"There's a simple solutions. We just need to find the witch who performed the spell and make her reverse it."

"She's dead," Sam snaps.

"That's vaguely problematic. Alright, then we find another witch."

"Oh, sure, I'll just go through my Rolodex of friendly witches. That'll go fast."

"Unnecessary sarcasm, Sam."

"My older brother is a toddler! I think this is the perfect moment for sarcasm."

"Remain calm. Let me see if there's anything I can do," Cas tells him, returning to the room. He touches two fingers to Dean's head. He pulls his fingers away.

"Let me guess: wild magic?" Sam asks gruffly.

"Yes. But it should wear off. Like when we became women."

"We don't speak of that."

"I can fly us home. Maybe Balthazar knows a spell."

"Balthazar?"

"Oh, he dropped in. Flirted with Charlie, helped kill a vampire."

"Wait, what?"

"You missed some plot points. Let me fly us home, and we'll talk it over and figure out Dean's problem."

"Don't forget the Impala," Sam reminds him.

They appear in the kitchen, Dean cradled in Cas' arms, fast asleep.

"Hey, Cas, what was it?" Juliet asks, glancing up. "Oh, hey, Sam. Where's Dean?" she takes in the child. "Who's that?"

"It's Dean," Cas explains shortly. "Brothers, sister?"

The angels move quickly to the trio.

"Lay him out, Cas," Gabriel tells him. Castiel moves to the table and gently lays the sleeping Dean across the table. The child shifts and murmurs without waking. The four resident angels gather around.

"Tell me about the witch," Ariel says to Sam.

"Uh... young woman, mid-twenties maybe? Black hair-"

"No, Sam, her magic. How did she work her magic?"

"Oh, right. Hex bags? Magic words? Is any of this helping?"

Ariel rolls her eyes.

"Humans," she scoffs. "Never mind, Sam."

"Wild magic," Balthazar groans. "We're no help," he says to Cas and Gabe.

"Ari?"

"Don't rush me, Gabe. I'll get there when I get there," she snaps. Finally, she draws back from Dean. "I can cure wild magic, if the spell is cast with malicious intent or a violent spell. This is not a harmful spell, and, from what I can tell, the witch cast the spell defensively."

"So, he's stuck?"

"Not necessarily. If you can find a witch, they could reverse the spell," Balthazar tell him.

"The let's go find a witch," Sam says.

"That's not so difficult. Just call your resident witch," Balthazar replies. "Summon Crowley."

"No," Sam says firmly.

"Sam," Juliet says warningly.

"I don't trust him, Jules. I know you two are all buddy-buddy. But I don't trust him around a defenseless baby Dean."

"So you're going to leave Dean like this?"

"I'm going to find a witch to fix him."

"Sammy?" the quiet voice asks, blinking confusedly at his surroundings. "Why you shouting?"

"Hey, buddy. Sorry I woke you."

"Where'd we go?"

"This is our home... Let's get you to bed, okay?"

"Otay, Sammy.:

Sam picks him up and carries him to his bedroom. By the time he lays Dean down, the boy is unconscious again.

Sam is about to leave the room when he notices Dean's porn box.

"I should definitely hide these."

* * *

At midnight, the bunker is silent, aside from the normal creaking and settling of an old place.

That's when a scream rings out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Chapter title is season 5 episode 7, when Dean and Bobby have a run-in with a he-witch that ages them.
> 
> SO, what's the opinion on married Crowley? I'm kind of excited for Queen of Hell.
> 
> Oh my goodness! What's going to happen? Will Dean be okay? Who's screaming?
> 
> Who knows?


	9. My Heart Will Go On

When the scream breaks the silence of the house, there is a mad rush of movement as the Winchesters wake up- the angels already being awake- and both groups grab weapons, ready to defend their family.

"Are you alright? What's going on?" Juliet asks over the confusing babel as they gather outside their doorways. She does a quick mental count. Sam, Gabriel, Adam, Ariel, Balthazar. "Where's Dean and Cas?"

The group moves to the door Dean's room. Cas is on the edge of the bed, cradling a sobbing Dean against his chest.

"What happened? Is he okay?" Sam asks.

Cas nods and mouths "nightmare" over Dean's head before continuing to rock Dean and murmur to him. The group sighs in relief and drift back to their rooms.

"Cassie," the sputters into Cas' chest.

"It's okay, Dean. Everything's alright."

"Pwease don't weave."

"Where would I go, Dean?"

"Away," Dean wails.

"I won't leave, Dean-o."

Dean sniffs and raises his head.

"Is that my nickie-name?" he asks with a tremble in his voice.

"Did I do it wrong?" Cas asks.

"No. I likes it," Dean tells him, laying his head back against Cas' chest. "Will you stay, Cassie?"

"So long as you need me," Castiel murmurs into the boy's hair. Dean's body relaxes and he nestles further into Cas' chest, clenching the trenchcoat in his hands.

* * *

The next day there is an unanimous, unspoken decision that Castiel is young Dean's new caregiver. Since the boy refuses to let go of "Cassie's" hand and keeps up a continuous stream of chatter in the angel's ear, it's mostly Dean's decision, and therefore inarguable.

Cas also seems born to translate the nonsense Dean spouts, although how is anyone's guess.

"Cassie, can I has more boxy bread?" he asks at breakfast.

"Sure, Dean."

"What does he want?" Sam asks, face screwed up in confusion.

"Waffles," Cas says simply, passing the plate to Dean.

"Waffles," the boy giggles happily, smothering the waffles in "stwicky, sweet stuff".

"Not so much, Dean," Cas warns him, slowing the river of syrup. "You won't eat it with that much syrup."

Dean nods solemnly, eyes wide, setting the syrup pitcher on the table. He reaches a hand to the middle of the table.

"Pwease?"

"What now?" Ariel asks.

"Bacon," Cas replies, grabbing the plate.

"Dank you, Cassie," Dean says, drumming his heels happily and munching contentedly on bacon.

* * *

**_Sam:_ **

_I'm not jealous of Cas,_  I remind myself, watching him communicate so effortlessly with Dean.

_Must be an angel thing._

I can feel my face scrunching, so I try to smooth it. It's not Cas' fault that Dean likes him better.

 _Not better,_  I correct myself.  _Cas just understands him._

 _They're soulmates too,_  the reasoning part of my brain adds.  _They're close to start with._

_I don't want to raise Dean anyway. He was better with kids._

"You okay, Sam?" Balthazar asks suddenly, startling me. "You're thinking. I can see the wheels turning. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself."

"Just trying to think-"

"Aha!" Balthazar teases. I smile.

"Of a way to help Dean get back to normal," I finish.

"Ah," he says. "This wouldn't have anything to do with being jealous of a certain trenchcoated angel, would it?" he asks quietly so the others can't hear.

"No, of course not," I lie quickly.  _Too quickly._

"Wanna try that again?" Balthazar raising his eyebrows.

"I'm not jealous."

"Sure, Sammich. And I'm not the sexist angel in the room."

I chuckle a little.

"He's my little brother. Is it so crazy to be confused when he's closer to Cas than me?"

"Cas  _is_  his soulmate. It's a different bond."

"I know. I just... Hey, how does the soulmate thing work anyway?"

"You think I've had a soulmate?" he scoffs.

"I thought you might know, since you're an angel."

"I only know what everyone knows," he shrugs.

"What does everyone know?" I press.

"Is everyone done?" Juliet interrupts, referring to breakfast. The group nods. "Alright. Sorry, Sam, but you have dish detail today."

"Okay."

The rest of the group moves to the living room, except for Balthazar.

"Let me help."

"You don't have to do that," I protest.

"Fine; do you mind if I talk? You asked me about soulmates."

"Please," I reply, carrying a stack of plates to the sink. Balthazar follows with some bowls, before leaning his back against the counter.

"Soulmates aren't a sure thing. Not all angels get them. And they don't always happen right away. Sometimes they take years to develop," he reaches a hand for the plate I just finished washing. He snaps his fingers and it's dry and away on shelf.

"Handy," I murmur.

"If you think that's handy, you should see me in the bedroom."

I have to laugh at that. Balthazar smirks. I start handing him clean plates as he continues talking.

"There's no system to soulmates. Sometimes they're perfectly similar, sometimes they're exact opposites. But- aside from Ariel and Castiel- they always worked."

"So God doesn't mind gay couples?" I ask, thinking of Cas and Dean.

"How should I know? He doesn't tell me. Why? You have your eye on a certain angel?" he teases. "What happened to all the demon girls?"

I shrug.

"Well, what's your angel look like?" he asks, hopping up onto the counter.

"What makes you think there's a specific angel?"

"More than one? Going for an angelic three-way? Foursome?"

"You have me confused with you."

"So true," Balthazar sighs self-satisfied. "So, who is it?"

I shrug again. I really haven't thought about dating an angel.

"Well, since you're so anxious to date an angel..." he purrs, leaning towards me. I have to snicker. God, I can't remember when I laughed this much. It's nice.

I turn back to the dishes. Balthazar sighs and snaps his fingers. The dishes and soapy water disappear.

"Hey-"

"I am trying to accomplish something," Balthazar growls, leaping gracefully off the counter and walking behind me.

He's so close to me I can feel his body heat. He places a hand on my shoulder and turns me. He steps even closer, pressing against me. I look down into his eyes.

"What-" I whisper. I clear my throat and try again. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" he asks, reaching up and tucking a clump of hair behind my ear. He pulls my face closer to his. "Well?"

"What?"

"This would be the right time to say 'no'," he whispers, chuckling.

"Give me a second. My brain is still catching up."

"Don't waste time with the blood flow there."

"If I say 'yes', what does it mean?"

"Aside from the greatest event of your life?" Balthazar teases. "Nothing, if you don't want it to."

"What about after?"

"Can that wait 'til after?"

"For now, sure."

"Is that a yes?"

I take a slow deep breath and sigh it out, trying to clear my head. I don't usually think this much about sex. But this, this needs to be thought about.

"Don't hurt yourself, Sammy. You're thinking again."

"Yes."

"Yes?" he asks surprised.

"Yeah."

"Then brace yourself," he whispers in my ear, pressing flush against me. "Let me show you seven minutes in Heaven."

"Seven?"

"Rock song. Dean would have gotten it," he grumbles. "No matter."

He places his slender hands on each of my hips and shifts my legs apart with a knee. I groan as his hip gently bumps between my legs.

"Enjoying yourself?" he mutters. I nod. "Is there any chance we could move this to a bedroom?"

"Oh, yeah."

In my bedroom, after closing my door and locking it, Balthazar presses me against the wall, grabs the collar of my plaid shirt and kisses me, had. I moan against his his mouth and his tongue slips between my lips, brushing erotically against mine. He quickly shoves aside my outer shirt, tailing his fingertips lightly up and down my bare arms.

With my hands removing his blazer, I gently push him backwards towards the bed, but at the last minute, he turns so my knees hit the edge and buckle, laying me out beneath him. He crawls slowly over me and gently pushes my undershirt up to my ribs, tracing a hand across my abs. My eyelids flutter closed, but he grabs my chin gently.

"Keep your eyes open. You'll want to see this."

With his hand on my chin, he turns my head to the right, flicking his tongue against the skin behind my ear. I let out an involuntary moan as his tongue trails along my jawline. His teeth close onto the soft skin of my neck right under my jaw.

Balthazar grabs the hem of my undershirt and pulls it off my head, throwing it aside. He slides his hand down and hooks his index finger under the button of my jeans, while steadily kissing any part of me that isn't covered. My hands rest on his hips as he moves his hands to his shirt.

"You can stop me if you want, Sammy, but the look in your eyes makes me think you don't want to."

"Don't stop," I mutter, putting my hands over his and lifting his shirt off. His fingers move to my belt buckle and unfasten it quickly. He undoes the button and lowers the zipper, maintaining eye contact with a dangerous smirk.

I sit up under him and move my mouth to his throat. I gently nip his collarbone and he exhales quickly.

My hand is moving to the button of his pants when there's a knock at the door. I groan.

"It's Juliet. You better answer," Balthazar whispers, shifting off of my lap. I fasten my pants and move to answer the door.

"Yeah?" I ask, opening the door.

"What's going on?" she asks curiously.

"I was just reading something. Doing some research."

"Oh? So those hickies on your neck are not from a certain smart mouth angel?" she teases. "Or is that what you were researching?" I immediately move my hand self-consciously to my neck. I hear Balthazar chuckle from next to my shoulder. He pokes his head around me.

"Hi, Jules."

"Just checking up on you two. Carry on."

"With pleasure."

Balthazar reaches around me, closing the door. He wraps his hand around my belt buckle and pulls it quickly through the loops. He pushes me against the door and hooks his index finger through my belt loops, pulling me against him.

"Where were we? Ah, yes," he says, steering me to the bed.

"Incorrigible."

"It's a testament to your improved tastes that I know what that means."

He kisses my neck again and the last of my resolve crumbles.

Dating demons was good.

This angel is better.

* * *

"Balthazar? Sam and  _Balthazar_?" Gabriel asks in disbelief when Juliet comes back to their room.

"I know, I know," Juliet replies.

"But Sam dates demons!" he protests. "And Balthazar... okay, Balthazar will sleep with anything with a pulse, but Sam?!"

"Sam didn't seem to be complaining. You should have seen his neck; it looked like a vampire had gotten ahold of him."

"Ugh," Gabriel groans, sitting on the bed.

"What?"

"I have an image of brother sex now," he shudders.

"I know a cure for that," Juliet tells him, rubbing a hand against his shirt collar.

"Oh, really?" he asks, raising his eyebrows.

"Mmhm," she replies, settling into his lap. She pushes his hair behind his ears and rests her forehead against his. "Love you," she murmurs.

"Love  _you_ ," he replies, smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Episode 7x17.
> 
> I had no idea I shipped Samthazar, until I wrote it, but DAMN, do I ship Samthazar. I also see Bal as top, but very big on consent. Sam's been pushed around a lot, so consent is a good thing.


	10. The Kids Are Alright

Three weeks of toddler Dean is what it takes to make Sam cave and trust Crowley.

Most of that time is Sam hunting down spells that Balthazar could perform, trying to find witches, arguing with Juliet about Crowley at every turn, and having sex with Balthazar.

He finally caves when Dean wakes up crying for the eighth night in a row and Cas confronts him.

"He cries every night, Sam! He is suffering! He's not sleeping anymore."

"None of us are, Cas!" Sam snaps. "I'm working on it."

"If you don't summon Crowley, I will."

"And I will stab him," Sam counters.

"And I will stop you," Cas glares at him. Sam glares back.

"Fine," Sam exclaims in frustration.

"Thank you," Cas says relieved. "This is just easier."

"Balthazar!" Sam calls.

"Yes?"

"Get the summoning stuff. We're calling the 'King'."

"You caved?" Balthazar asks surprised.

"Hush."

"Alright, one King of Hell coming right up," Balthazar replies. "Where shall I summon him?"

"Living room. Don't forget the pentagram. Last thing I need is Crowley running loose."

Balthazar gathers up summoning materials and moves to the living room.

"Cas, bring me Dean. Sam, I'll need some blood," he says, passing the knife.

"How much and where?"

"Just a splash. In the bowl."

"What bowl?" Sam asks. A bowl appears in the angel's hand and he passes it over. Sam winces as he drags the blade across his palm. "Say when," he tells Balthazar, holding his hand over the bowl.

"That's enough," Balthazar says, taking the bowl. Sam wraps a cloth around his hand. "I'll heal it in a moment."

Balthazar casts the spell and Crowley appears before them.

"Haven't any of you heard of a cellphone?" Crowley drawls.

"Oooh! Magic!" Dean squeals. Cas catches the boy before he runs to the demon king.

"What is this? Moose and Squirrel Adoption Agency? Where'd you pick this one up?"

"It's Dean," Cas tells him.

"You're joking," Crowley says smirking.

"No. We ran into a witch in Sapulpa," Sam tells him.

"Exciting."

"We want you to fix him."

"Come again?"

"The angels can't fix him, since it's witchcraft. Since you're a witch, you can cast a spell and reverse it."

"You're asking me for help?"

"Don't get used to it."

"I bet this makes you feel horribly useless, doesn't it, angels?" Crowley taunts.

"Crowley," Sam warns.

"Please," Juliet asks from the door. She walks further into the room. Crowley rolls his eyes.

"You think you have me wrapped around your finger? Why should I do this for you?"

"Because then we'll owe you, Crow."

Crowley meets her eyes.

"I knew there was a reason you were my favorite Winchester. The smart one," Crowley says. "Alright, let me out."

"Let him out, Sam."

Sam scratches away a piece of the devil's trap, and Crowley is uttering commands even as he walks out. Sam and Balthazar move to retrieve what he asks for. He moves to Dean and squats by him. He grabs the boy's chin roughly and looks into his eyes.

"Was his memory affected by the spell?"

"He doesn't seem to remember anything," Cas tells him, kneeling down next to Dean. Crowley releases the boy, who turns and buries his head in Cas' chest.

"His tastes haven't improved," Crowley remarks. Sam and Balthazar return from retrieving ingredients. Crowley mixes the ingredients in the bowl.

"I need blood," he announces. Sam begins to remove the bandage. "Not yours. I need Dean's."

"Dean-o?" Cas turns to the boy. "We need to cut your hand, okay? It won't hurt long, I promise. I'll heal it as soon as it's over."

Dean looks up nervously and nods. Cas takes the knife from Crowley, who brings over the bowl. Cas drags the knife across the boy's palm. Dean whimpers.

"It's okay, Dean-o. Almost done," he tells Dean, flipping his hand over the bowl.

"That's enough."

Cas takes Dean's hand in his and lets his grace flow into the the hand. The cut closes up.

"All better."

"Thank you, Cassie," Dean says quietly. Crowley mixes the ingredients in a bowl, then starts painting symbols on Dean's face. He begins chanting. When he's done, the symbols glow for a moment.

"Wait about eight to twelve hours for the spell to work its way in and the other magic to work its way out. He'll be fine in the morning," Crowley tells them, snapping his fingers and getting rid of the bloody mess on his fingers and Dean's face. He's about to stand up when Dean throws his arms around him.

"Thank you, Mr. Crow-Crow."

There are a few snorts and chuckles as the group struggles to not burst out laughing.

"Crow-Crow?" Crowley asks, eyes narrowing. "Listen here, pup. It is Crowley.  _Crowley_. Not Crow-Crow. Say it with me."

"Crowrey," the boy repeats with the King. Crowley sighs in resignation.

"Close enough," he says standing up and patting him on the head. "Anything else before I go back to my real job?"

"Thank you, Crowley," Juliet choruses.

"Yeah, thank you, Crow-Crow," Balthazar smirks. Crowley glares at him before snapping his fingers and disappearing. The moment he's gone, the group dissolves into laughter. Between giggles, Juliet tries to chastise Balthazar, but the words come out unfinished.

After the group finally calms, Castiel turns to Dean.

"Time for bed, Dean-o. You'll be better in the morning."

"Otay, Cassie," the boy chirps, grasping his hand and marching with the angel to his room.

Sam, Balthazar, and Juliet migrate to the kitchen where Ariel, Adam, and Gabriel are sitting with the twins. Gabriel stands up and kisses Juliet on the cheek with Mary Jo on his hip.

"Hey, hon," Juliet says to him. "Hey, baby," she coos to Mary, reaching out her arms to the infant. Mary gives her prettiest smile and moves to her mother's arms willingly.

She rests her head on Juliet's shoulder and yawns widely.

"She has the right idea," Juliet remarks.

"Time for bed, Bobby," Gabriel says, taking his son from Ariel. The couple takes the twins to the nursery.

"Alright, Ariel, we should go to bed, too," Adam reminds her.

"What would I do without you looking after me?' she asks fondly.

"Crash and burn, sweetheart," he teases. "Night, guys."

Balthazar waits until they leave.

"Guess it's just you and me, Sam."

Sam rolls his eyes, but asks anyway.

"My room?"

"Read my mind."

"It's a one track mind; it wasn't very difficult."

"How right you are, love."

* * *

Dean is curled against Cas' chest with his fingers wrapped around the trenchcoat collar when the spell kicks in. Within minutes, the toddler has grown back into full-sized Dean.

His eyelids flutter open and he meets the blue eyes gazing at him curiously.

"Hey, you. What are you doing here?" he murmurs sleepily. He takes in the trenchcoat. "Hey, why are you sleeping in your clothes?"

"What do you remember?"

"What do you mean? Sam and I are in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, preparing to take down a werewolf."

"No, Dean. That was three weeks ago."

"What?!"

"It wasn't a werewolf. It was witch. And she turned you into a child. Sam called Crowley last night and he performed a spell that changed you back."

"Why don't I remember this?"

"When you were a child you didn't remember anything about this life either."

"I didn't? Well... what happened?"

"You called Crowley 'Mr. Crow-Crow'."

Dean closes his eyes, struggling not to break a smile.

"Did anything else happen?"

"Not really. You were just an ordinary toddler. Except..."

"What?"

"I think you might have upset Sam a little."

"What? What did I do?"

"You liked me better than you liked him."

"Oh crap. Now he's going to get it into his head and save this for one of our big fights. I should go talk to him. Where is he?"

"His room. But, Dean, maybe you should wait..."

Dean is already out of bed, shirt on, pants halfway up his legs.

"No, if I wait, he'll just let it brew. That's what Winchesters do," he says, leaving the room. "Be back in a sec."

"Wait, Dean-" Cas calls, following.

"I need to handle this before it gets too hot to handle. It'll just be a minute and I'll have it straightened out," he says, reaching Sam's door. He opens it quickly. "Sam, I-"

He can't find the words to finish the thought, since making out, naked, on the bed are his little brother and Balthazar. The two look up, Sam with fear and surprise and Balthazar with is customary look of disdain. Dean immediately slams the door, but Balthazar can still hear him.

"Oh God," the Winchesters mutter together.

"Not exactly," Balthazar smirks, "But I'll take it as a compliment."

"That was..." Dean says.

"Mmhm," Cas finishes.

"Sam and..."

"Yes."

"How lo-"

"Three weeks," Cas tells him. Dean pauses again.

"... Fuck."

"Crap. Crap. Crapcrapcrap," Sam mutters. scrambling to grab clothes and throw them on his body, nearly falling over a few times. Balthazar follows him with his eyes, un-moving, like a big cat. "Bal? Where's my belt?"

"Foot board," he replies in a bored voice.

"Thanks, love. Dean!" he calls, rushing to the door, fastening the belt. He yanks the door open. His brother and Cas are still there.

"Cas, can we have a second?" Dean asks. Cas immediately moves down the hallway.

"So..."

"So..." Dean repeats. "So, I guess you're over Bela?"

"Yeah. Yeah, that's a way to phrase it," Sam says awkwardly. Dean stands there for a moment.

"Okay, awkward. So, I'm not going to ask any questions. What you do is your business. Um... so, yeah, now we're all dating angels."

Sam lets out a breathy half-laugh.

"Yeah... Guess it's the new family business."

"Dating angels, hunting things, the family business?" Dean says. "God, what would Dad say?' he asks chuckling.

"I don't want to know," Sam says laughing. "Listen, Dean, was there something you wanted? When you came down here?"

"Oh. Yeah. Cas said you might have been offended when I attached myself to him the past couple of weeks."

"Don't worry about it."

"You weren't jealous?"

"Well, I was, but I sort of found a... distraction," Sam replies, glancing toward the door of his room. Dean winces.

"Sorry, I asked," he says. He recollects his thoughts. "Okay, so we good here?"

"We're good, Dean."

"Great. 'Cause I have three weeks of abstinence to make up to a certain angel."

It's Sam's turn to wince.

"Didn't need to know."

"Now we both have mental images we didn't want."

"You can say that again," Sam mutters.

"Have fun, brother," Dean says with a wink and a slap on the shoulder.

"We will," Balthazar announces from the door. "Get in there, Winchester," he adds, gesturing with a whip he makes appear in his hand. Dean's eyes widen.

"Later, Sam," he says, hurrying to his own room. Sam turns to Balthazar when he's gone.

"You shouldn't have done that," he chastises the angel with a bitch face.

"Couldn't resist," he shrugs, getting rid of the whip. "I enjoy having fun with your brother. Although, not as much as I have with you."

Sam rolls his eyes, walks forward and gently pushes Balthazar into the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Episode 3x02.
> 
> Fixed Dean! Yay!
> 
> I took Crowrey from the Season 8 gag reel, since pretty much the season 8 gag reel was "Crowrey, Crowrey", Jared makes funny face, "Crowrey".
> 
> Whoops, Dean totally just found out about Sam and Balthazar... Kinda wish someone had figured out how to mention that before... You know, mental image.


	11. Holy Terror

Ariel and Adam are curled in their bed, sometimes talking, sometimes kissing, sometimes just sitting there.

"What do you miss most about Heaven?" Adam asks suddenly.

"Stars," Ariel answers immediately. "In Heaven, the stars were so close. And you could actually see them. Humans have created so much light pollution, the stars might as well not even be there."

"You miss Heaven, don't you?" Adam asks after a minute.

"Sometimes."

"You could go back, you know."

"What's waiting for me there? Life in an army? Fighting for a cause I don't believe. Just because I like the scenery doesn't mean I like the view," she replies. "Besides, I have more of a family here than I ever did at home."

"Yeah, the Winchesters will do that to you."

"And a certain Miligan I know," she reminds him.

* * *

"Gabriel, I'm thinking we've gone too long without any hint of Azazel," Juliet tells him.

"Last time he attacked, he waited twenty-two years, it's only been a few months."

"Last time he was setting up the Apocalypse. It took time. Wouldn't it be better to nip this in the bud while we still can?"

"I'll go up to Heaven today and see what I can find out," Gabriel reassures her. "I'm sure everything's fine."

* * *

"What are you planning for the day, Cas?" Gabriel asks that afternoon.

"Spend some time with Dean, I guess. Why do you ask?"

"Juliet asked me to go up to Heaven and check on Azazel's plans. Wanna come with?"

"Did I hear someone say 'going to Heaven'?" Balthazar asks nosily.

"You know you did. I'm going; I invited Cas to come with."

"Family road trip? Count me in."

"I don't think he invited you," Ariel interrupts. "But I know he was going to invite me, so let's all go."

"Sure you can come; thanks you asking," Gabriel says sarcastically.

"You're welcome," Ariel and Balthazar reply.

"So, why are we going to Heaven?" Ariel asks, perching on the kitchen counter.

"Juliet wants to know about Azazel and his plans, so I was going to find out if our brothers knew anything."

"Sounds like fun. When do we leave?"

"I was hoping for right away."

* * *

The angels arrive in Heaven and are met with silence.

"Something's wrong," Balthazar announces.

"Can you feel that?" Cas asks them.

"Fear," Ariel says, naming the thick, cloying emotion the group can sense like a fog on their skin.

"Can any of you sense any angels?" Balthazar asks.

"Three Heavens over," Gabriel tells him.

"Be careful, guys. We don't know what we'll find there," Ariel warns them.

The group flies to where the angels are located and are met with the sound of screams and the sight of flames and destruction.

Angels are running and flying in everywhere, screaming in terror.

"Guys, what is that?" Ariel asks, gesturing to someone flying above them.

"It's an angel," Balthazar says dismissively.

"That's no angel I've ever seen," Gabriel replies.

The creatures do look like angels at first glance. They have wings and grace, but after looking at them, it's obvious they are nothing like angels. The wings are tattered and ruined, and the grace is half- or less- of a true angel's, and only glows dimly, if at all. In the chaos, it is difficult to immediately tell what they are doing, but it is soon clear that they are attacking angels.

"What are they?" Ariel asks. The group shakes their heads in bewilderment. "What are they doing?"

"They're herding the angels over there," Gabriel says, pointing. "And it looks like they're... sorting them."

"Can you tell how they're sorting them?" Cas asks.

"By hierarchy, I think. Yeah, see that group over by itself? Those are class two angels. I guess they're the highest ranking angels, since I'm the last archangel."

An angel and an angel-look-alike collide in mid-air almost directly above the group.

"We should help," Ariel says.

"What can we do? There's four of us. The entire Host couldn't stop them," Balthazar protests.

"Yeah, but we have what they don't. We've got Ariel, the only angel who can control the elements," Gabriel reminds him. He turns to Ariel. "Ari, if there ever was a time to use your powers, this would be it."

Ariel turns to Gabriel in surprise. He nods encouragingly.

"You can do it."

Ariel nods and turns back to the chaos.

"Tell our brethren to get out of the sky. Fast," she orders.

Angels across the sky receive the orders and plummet to the ground, appearing to surrender. The non-angels circle in the air, both confused and searching for other fights.

One angel his the ground hard in front of Ariel and her brothers and rolls to a stop.

"Brothers?" he asks in awe. The guys shush him, but nod.

Ariel raises her gaze to the sky. Her lips move as she silently chants in Enochian.

The wind suddenly picks up speed and strength. The non-angels, who are still in the sky, are tossed and buffeted by the wind.

"Gabriel! There's a child up there!" Cas bellows to him over the wind. He points to a small form, flipping and tumbling. Ariel begins to loosen her control on the air.

"Keep going, Ariel. I'll get him," the crash landed angel tells them. Using his grace, he folds the fledgling's wings against his body and gently lowers him to the ground.

The non-angels are recognizing that their wings are more of a hindrance than a help. They tuck their wings and allow themselves to drop before letting them unfurl. Quickly, most of the non-angels are below the wind streams and out of danger. Several are nursing broken wings. They have identified the source of their trouble and are approaching the group.

"Hey, Ari? Any more cool tricks?" Gabriel asks, eyeing the approaching army warily.

"I have one thing," she says. She murmurs in Enochian and the ground begins to roll and tremble. A fissure opens in the ground between the angels and non-angels. The non-angels stumble to a halt and the one's in the lead tumble into the crack.

Ariel collapses sideways into Cas, but it isn't a problem. The non-angels have decided to wait until they aren't being attacked on all sides by air and earth and are retreating.

Cas gently lowers Ariel to the ground.

"I'm okay. I'm fine. Just worn out."

"They're leaving. You can take a break."

"Hey!" an angel calls cheerfully, approaching with a bound non-angel. "I was wondering when the cavalry would get here."

"Hello, Munkar," Cas replies, helping Ariel sit up.

"Hi, Cas. Still have that stick up your ass, I see?" he says with a grin, so he knows there's no harm intended. "Nice wind storm, Ari."

"Thanks, Moon."

"Moony!" his female twin angel calls. "How did you catch it?"

"Didn't you hear? I'm awesome," Munkar teases. Nakir, the twin, rolls her eyes. "Also, his wings are broken. Is there a healer anywhere?" he calls to the group of angels that has gathered.

"We should interrogate it, first," Nakir interrupts.

"He's a prisoner, not an animal. He deserves kindness and fair treatment," Munkar argues.

"It was killing  _our_  kind in an all-out massacre. They would have killed us all."

"One wrong does not cancel out another."

"Many angels are injured. The medics will have their hands full just healing our kind. They don't have time to heal this monster."

"Nakir," Cas reprimands sharply. "He can hear you. Here is my suggestion: we take him back to the Winchesters. We'll interrogate him and find out what he wants, but," he adds for Munkar's benefit, "He will be treated fairly and kindly."

"You and your Winchesters," Nakir spits. "If you hadn't seen God do so Himself, you'd think they put the sun in the sky."

"The Winchesters will torture him," Munkar protests.

"I will personally vouch for his safety," Cas promises.

"You will be too soft on him," Nakir argues.

"We  _will_  get his answers. No secrets are safe."

* * *

The Winchesters' angels arrive back at the bunker, Ariel asleep in Balthazar's arms and Gabriel leading the bound non-angel.

The Winchesters jump up and immediately begin asking questions, creating a confusing babel as each angel tries to explain to their respective Winchester, Balthazar taking on the task of explain to both Sam and Adam.

"Hold on, Dean, hold on," Cas calls over the chaos. " _ **HEY!** "_ he bellows in his true voice. _  
_

The group immediately silences; the humans reaching up to cover their ears in defense against the pitch of an angel's true voice.

"Thank you. Now, Gabriel, keep an eye on him. Balthazar, put her to bed."

"I've got her," Adam interrupts, taking Ariel from Balthazar. "She can tell me later."

"Alright," Cas says once he's gone. "We went up to Heaven to see if any angels knew about what Azazel had planned. Heaven was in chaos when we arrived. An army of creatures like this one were attacking."

"What is it?" Dean asks.

"He has wings, and grace, but he's not like any angel we've ever seen."

"I'm only one-third angel," the creature growls.

"What?" Gabriel asks, turning to him.

"I'm one-third angel," he repeats slowly, as if Gabriel is incompetent.

"What are the other two-thirds?" Sam asks.

"Why should I tell you?"

"Because I promised to torture you if you didn't," Cas reminds him.

"One of the other two-thirds is human."

"You're a nephilim?" Juliet asks in alarm.

"Was," the creature corrects. "The last third wasn't something I was born with. I've been raised on demon blood. The last third is demon."

"Why would someone create a hybrid of those things?" Dean asks.

"Isn't it obvious?" Cas replies. "To take over Heaven."

"Not just Heaven. There's three parts, remember?" the creature reminds him. "Heaven, Hell, and Earth."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Da-da-duuhh! What's going on? Demon/Angel/ Human hybrids? Sounds like a Winchester's worst nightmare.
> 
> So, boring stuff first, episode 9x09.
> 
> Fun stuff! Yay! (This is a long A/N, I describe the new angels and other information)
> 
> Ariel is the angel in charge of protection and healing of plants and animals (see chapters 3, 4, and 5 for more). She also punishes those who harm God's creations. (Again see chapters 3-5). But, she has one other cool super power that I forgot to mention except in passing (Conversations about powers draining her grace- remember those?). She can control the elements! I totally didn't know any of that when I picked her as the angel for this story, but heck, she was perfect. And then she got all the cool super powers... Jesus, she's the best.
> 
> Ariel missing Heaven and stars will come back later, totally have some cute fluff coming up. Stay tuned.
> 
> Munkar and Nakir are twin angels. They are from Islamic religion. Nakir means "the denier" and Munkar means "the denied". After death, it is believed that your soul is judged during a stage called barzakh by these angels. You are asked three questions, "Who is your God?", "Who is your Prophet?", and "What is your religion?". If you answer correctly- "Allah", "Muhammad", and "Islam", respectively- then your time in the grave before Judgement is pleasant. If your answers are incorrect, they torture you until Judgement day.
> 
> I have a headcanon that they meet the souls at Heaven's gates and decided which souls may enter or not, with Munkar arguing for the good in each individual, and Nakir seeking out the bad. I hope to bring them back later, but I make no guarantees.
> 
> There are different ranks of angels, starting with Archangels. Depending on what you subscribe to, the archangels are different for different religions (I generally say Gabriel, Michael, Lucifer, Raphael, and sometimes Uriel). Obviously, using my list, Gabriel is the only Archangel left in Heaven. The next rank of angels (I call these class two angels), are the higher ranking angels with major powers beyond ordinary healing (Ariel, Sandalphon, Metatron, etc.). Obviously, I took a few liberties, but I tried to stay as true to most beliefs as possible.
> 
> I think that's it. But be prepared for in the future a big reveal involving Metatron and some angel relations. I will say no more at this time.


	12. The Real Ghostbusters

"You're trying to take over Heaven, Hell,  _and_  Earth?" Dean asks.

"Bingo," the creature confirms.

"Why?" Sam asks.

"You think  _I_  know? I'm just a grunt."

"Who would know? Who are the higher ups?" Dean questions.

"I just know where my orders come from."

"And where is that?" Cas turns to the creature.

"Up here," he says, lifting his bound hands and gesturing to his head. He laughs at their surprise. "What, you thought only angels had telepathy? Part-angel, remember?"

"Do you know who's in charge?" Juliet asks.

"Our creator. Our father," the demon replies in awe.

"Who?" Dean presses.

"The King."

"Crowley?" Juliet asks in shock.

"The King with the yellow eyes," the creature says.

"Azazel," Sam murmurs.

"I should have known," Juliet and Dean say together.

"Azazel? Are you sure?" Gabriel asks.

"Of course he's sure, Gabriel," Juliet interrupts. "Azazel's attack on us wasn't an attack. It was him taunting us. It wasn't the beginning of a war. It was the end of one. The final preparation. He wasn't creating his army; he was marching them into battle."

"Where would we find Azazel?" Cas asks the creature roughly.

"That's above my pay grade, feathers."

"I think you're lying."

"Think what you will," the creature replies calmly. Dean turns rapidly and punches him across the face. The creature falls sideways from the chair.

"Answer his question. Where is Azazel?"

The creature licks blood off his lip.

"I guess we know who 'tops' in your relationship."

Dean roughly lifts the hybrid back into the chair.

"Answer the angel."

"Could you repeat the questions?" the demon asks coolly.

"Where is  _Azazel_?" Dean repeats through gritted teeth.

"Well, he's a demon... I would assume  _Hell_ ," the hybrid replies snarkily.

"Alright, that's it," Dean snaps, grabbing a knife.

"Dean. Enough," Cas says, holding the hunter back. "Dean! Go take a breath. Cool down."

Dean inhales slowly.

"I'm fine."

"You sure?" Cas asks. Dean nods. "Alright," he says, releasing him.

"Where is Azazel?" Sam asks. "We will not ask again."

The hybrid glances around at the circle of Winchesters watching him, looking for a weak point. He doesn't find one.

"Last I heard he was in Leona, Kansas."

"It always goes back to Kansas," Dean sighs.

* * *

The Winchesters first set about calling up reinforcements. Juliet calls Crowley and warns him of Azazel's possible planned attack on Hell. Balthazar returns to Heaven to muster up the Host.

He and Sam share a not-so-tearful goodbye.

"See you soon," Balthazar says. "Don't do anything excessively stupid."

"I'll do my best."

Dean and Sam delegate tasks to prepare for the impending showdown. The group shifts their base to Leona, taking up a block of motel rooms.

"Feels a bit like the Apocalypse, huh, Sammy?" Dean asks.

"Let's hope not. We barely made it through that the first time."

Juliet is charged with contacting every hunter her brothers know of. Cas teaches Adam and Ariel to search for Azazel using omens. Gabriel goes weapon collecting from all the storehouses different Winchesters and Campbells have set up over the years.

"How many weapons bunkers can one family have?" he exclaims, dropping a pile of weapons onto the floor.

"Shhh," Juliet whispers, bouncing Bobby on her shoulder.

"Sorry, sweetheart," he murmurs.

"He woke up in the middle of my call to Garth," she explains in a soothing voice.

"How is Garth?"

"He's good. He's coming to help."

"He might get lost on the way."

"I told him to call if he did."

"There's a chance he'll lose the number."

"I sent Marcus from Colorado to bring him in," Juliet tells him, naming a hunter Sam and Dean met early in their hunting together.

"I knew you had an ace up your sleeve," Gabriel says proudly. Juliet lays Bobby down in one of the cribs she had the angels transport over from the bunker. "Do you have any calls left?"

"Four more, unless Sam and Dean dig up more numbers. Which they will. Anymore storage units?"

"Three more, until they find another reference to one in a journal somewhere."

"Gabriel, I found some more units to check out," Sam announces, entering the room. "And Jules, Victor from Maine texted me his address book. I don't know which one's you already have, so you'll have to compare the lists."

Juliet and Gabriel exchange a glance that says  _I told you so_.

"I'm on it," Juliet replies.

"Right away, Samifer," Gabriel says with a salute, disappearing.

"Any sign of Azazel?" Juliet asks, scrolling through Sam's list and recording new numbers in her address book.

"They've narrowed it down to a quarter mile of space. We've nearly got him."

"You really think it'll be that easy?"

"No," Sam sighs. "But after all these years, we deserve a lucky break. One easy case."

" _Easy_? Sam, that word's not in the Winchester dictionary," Juliet teases.

"Trust me, I know. I've been a Winchester longer than you have."

Juliet hands back the phone.

"All done," she tells him. "And Sam? Don't worry; we'll win this battle too. Winchesters always come out on top," she pauses, then adds, "Except in bed."

Sam laughs, but as he leaves, both he and Juliet wonder, who is she trying to convince, him or herself?

* * *

Within three days, nearly every hunter Sam, Dean, John Winchester, Bobby Singer, or the Harvelles ever knew is gathered in Leona, Kansas. The motels, hotels, and many hunters' RVs and cars are packed to the gills with grumpy hunters. Sam, Dean, Cas, Ariel, and Adam are all crammed into one motel room, leading to many testosterone-fueled shouting matches and intense sexual tension. Sam, the single of the group is jammed onto a couch that would be considered too small for Juliet, much less his 6'4" frame. This leads to sleepless nights and more tension for arguments.

'I'm going out," Dean exclaims after one fight, slamming the door behind him.

"I guess some things never change, huh, Winchester?" a woman walking past with a bucket for ice says.

"Lori," Dean replies happily in greeting. "How long has it been? Hey, how's Ivan?" He's watching her face and sees her expression fall. "Oh, Lori, I'm sorry."

"It's okay. He went out fighting, which, you know, is what he would have wanted," she says, swallowing.

"Has it been long?"

"About two years. In Spring. We gave him a hunter's funeral."

They are quiet for a moment.

"So, have you met anyone?" she asks. "Or are you still a one-night-stand kind of guy?"

"I did, actually."

"Ooh, what's her name?"

"Uh, his name is Castiel."

"He? Yo haven't dated a guy since high school. Must be somebody special."

Dean smiles fondly.

"Yeah, Cas is awesome. So, what about you? Have you met anyone?"

"Uh, yeah. His name is Liam. Vampire specialist," Lori replies. Dean makes a noise of appreciation. "God, sometimes I feel like we're the only hunters who want a family, you know?"

"No, all hunters want family. We're just the only one's stupid enough to try."

"You can say that again."

Cas sticks his head out of the door, looking for Dean.

"De- oh, sorry, you're busy."

"No, Cas, it's okay. This is Lori. She's an old friend."

"Oh, he's a cutie," Lori says to Dean. She turns to Cas, "Hi, there. You must be Castiel. Are you hunter too?"

Dean answers "yes" quickly as Cas replies "no". Lori's eyebrows draw up in confusion.

"He's new," Dean explains awkwardly. "Listen, Lori, it was good to see you, but I should go apologize to my brother. Say hello to... Liam, right?"

"Sure, Dean. Good to see you again. Nice to meet you, Castiel," Lori chuckles. "Hope you get into the swing of things."

After she leaves, Cas turns to Dean.

"I'm not new. I've been hunting with you for years."

"You can't just go around announcing to people that you're an 'angel of the Lord', Cas," Dean explains gently. "That  _is_  what you were about to do, right?" Cas nods. "See, if you say that around most people, they assume you're crazy. And if you say that around hunters, they'll most likely kill you."

"Oh," Cas replies.

"From now on, if anyone asks, you're a hunter, okay? Not an angel. And it's not a lie. You are a hunter. Honorary Winchester, and all that."

"Alright, Dean."

"Come on, I have some apologies to make," Dean says, tossing an arm around his angel.

* * *

Sam and Juliet are tasked with going around to the hunters and ensuring they have the right weapons.

"So, you're the Winchester boys' ambassador, eh?" a gruff hunter asks.

"I suppose so, sir. I'm Juliet."

"I'm no sir. I'm just a drunk old hunter, ready for one last big showdown before the end," the man grumbles. "Here, come on in and have a drink, and you can tell me how I should fight these monsters I've been fighting since you were in grade school."

"Alright, then," Juliet replies, following him into the motel room. "So, how do you know Sam and Dean?"

"I used to hunt with their old man... Christ, must have been seventeen years ago," he tells her. "I'm Jay, by the way. Forgot to mention that. That's what happens when you get old, I guess. And you're... Julia, right?"

"Juliet," she corrects.

"Juliet," Jay repeats. He hands her a glass. "Single malt," he answers her questioning glance. "So, how do you know the Winchester boys?"

"I'm their younger half-sister," she replies, tossing back the glass. Jay nods in approval.

"Oh, yes, I can see John in you. The fiery temper lurking in your eyes. Both his boys have it too."

"All three of them," Juliet chuckles. "We have another half-brother named Adam."

"A swarm of Winchesters, eh?"

"Just the four of us, as far as we know."

"So, what do your brothers say needs to be done to defeat this monster?"

"Well, he's a higher-class demon. A regular exorcism won't do the trick with this one. Demon-killing knives are good. They shot him with Samuel Colt's gun about six years. They thought he was dead, but guess they were wrong."

Jay bursts into heavy laughter, which suddenly dissolves into coughing.

"Are you alright?" Juliet asks. Jay waves her off, even as face turns red. Finally, he stops coughing and Juliet brings him a glass of water.

"All the damn things I've seen and killed, and in the end my own body might be what kills me."

"What is it?" Juliet asks quietly.

"Cancer," Jay responds grimly.

"Did they give you an estimate?"

"Two years. That was two and half years ago. No doctor's going to tell me when to die. I plan to go out swinging. But I guess that's what they all say," Jay shrugs. "Speaking of going out swinging, tell me your brothers' plan for killing this son of a bitch."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Chapter title from season 5, episode 9. I called it "The Real Ghostbusters", because these people, Lori and Jay, are the people on the front lines, the one's fighting and dying for the job. They are the true heroes, and I wanted to talk about someone other then the Winchesters. We focus on the Winchesters, but there's other families and people out there fighting and dying to.
> 
> Anyway, enough with my soap box. Meet Jay, an old hunter. He'll be back. I hope to bring Garth around, even if it's just for a second.
> 
> We'll get back to Azazel's hybrids very soon, just needed to move away for a minute.


	13. Season Seven: Time For A Wedding!

Juliet starts visiting Jay daily. She tells him about Gabriel, and the twins and her brothers. She brings the twins over to meet him. For a short time, his gruff exterior fades.

"There's something different about these two," he mentions to Juliet, looking at the twins.

"What do you mean?" Juliet asks warily.

"I can't name it. Maybe it's just as you get older, you learn to appreciate life more."

Juliet sighs internally, not ready- or really sure how- to explain angels or that her husband is really the archangel Gabriel.

* * *

"So, there I am, surrounded by three rabid, raging werewolves. And I'm down to two bullets," Jay recounts to Juliet as she listens in amazement. "And, I think to myself, 'what the hell am I going to do?'. There's a silver knife in my bag, but that's not doing me a bit of good.

"So, these werewolves are chasing me in circles, and I'm out of options. And then, I catch sight of it. Across the floor of this abandoned warehouse is a silver rod. I start running towards it, and the werewolves start chasing me. The wolves to either side of me are trying to cut me off, so I shoot them both, using my bullets, but the one behind me is gaining ground.

"I dive for the rod, grab it, and flip over. The werewolf spears himself on top of the rod when he lands on me. His teeth are inches from my face."

Juliet is about to respond when she catches sight of the time.

"Ah, Christ. It's late. I should go, I lost track of time."

"Well, come on back and visit, you hear?"

Juliet opens her mouth when there's a knock at the door. Jay immediately becomes wary.

"Who is it?" he barks.

"Uh, I'm Gabriel. I was wondering if Juliet was here. It's getting late..."

"Your boy?" Jay asks Juliet quietly. She nods, moving to the door. She lets him in.

"Hey, I was just about to leave. I lost track of time."

Gabriel steps in. Jay gasps. He grabs a gun from the table and points it at Gabriel.

"What are you?!"

"Whoa, Jay, what are you doing?" Juliet exclaims.

"He is not human, Juliet. Step away."

"It's okay, Jay, I know."

"What?"

"He's not human, Jay. He's... an angel. Put the gun down and let's talk about it. Let me explain."

Jay doesn't move the gun.

"Explain. I think I'll keep the gun."

"Angels are real. With all we know of Hell, is it really so surprising that Heaven and angels exist too? Gabriel is an angel. My brother's partners are angels too. My children are half-angels, nephilim. That's what you noticed that was different about them. Not all angels are good; just like not all humans are good. I don't know why you're able to recognize angels, but some people can see them. I guess you're one of those people."

"We aren't the enemy, Jay," Gabriel reassures him softly.

"I didn't asks you," Jay snaps, brandishing the gun, but less fearful. He begins to gesture with the gun. "So, you're telling me-"

 _ **BANG!**_ The gun goes off suddenly in Jay's hand. Juliet lets out a scream. Gabriel pivots form the force of the bullet and drops to the grounf, clutching his shoulder.

"Son of a..." Jay says in shock.

"Gabriel!" Juliet exclaims, kneeling beside him. Gabriel groans.

"Oh, Christ. I'm sorry," Jay apologizes, coming over to help.

"It's fine. Damn. I'm fine," Gabriel mutters, moving a hand over the wound. The bullet draws out to the surface and the wound closes behind it. Gabriel hands the bullet to Juliet. "Here, take this."

"Are you alright?"

"I'm an angel. Takes more than a bullet to the shoulder to stop me. Even a silver one."

"Well, sonny, if I didn't believe before, I'm starting to."

"And it only took shooting me in the arm to do it," Gabriel smirks.

"You're... Are you the archangel Gabriel?" Jay asks. Gabriel meets his gaze evenly.

"I am," he replies solemnly.

"Well, I think we've had enough excitement for one evening," Juliet announces. She and Gabriel stand, and Gabriel extends a hand to Jay.

"It was nice to meet you, Jay. Sorry it wasn't a great first impression."

Jay turns to Juliet.

"Come back, alright? And you can bring this boy of yours with you sometimes too."

"Alright, Jay," Juliet says with a chuckle.

After the door closes, Juliet and Gabriel stroll back to their room.

"Cancer? Stage four?" Gabriel asks quietly. Juliet nods. "Given a life expectancy, but out-lived it."

"Yeah."

"Not for long," Gabriel says sadly. "He has a few more weeks, tops."

Juliet looks at him in alarm.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sorry."

"Can you do anything?"

Gabriel shakes his head.

"At this point, the shock of healing him would kill him faster than the cancer would. I'm sorry, Jules."

"You can't save 'em all," Juliet replies sadly, resting her head on Gabriel's shoulder.

"But we'll try," Gabriel promises.

* * *

Dean drives the Impala out into the country around Leona and climbs out onto the hood.

He grabs a beer from the cooler and sits for a minute. He checks his watch.

There's a flutter of wings and the customary "Hello, Dean" in Cas' gravelly voice.

"You're late."

Cas cocks his head in confusion.

"We did not make plans to meet here, and you did not call me."

"I'm joking, Cassie," Dean replies. "Come sit," he says, jerking his head to the space beside him. He passes the angel a beer.

"Is everything alright? Did you fight with Sam again?"

"No everything's fine. I wanted to come out here and look at the stars. Spend time with you."

Cas glances at Dean and see right through him.

"You think we're going to die, don't you?"

"Everytime my family's brushed with Azazel, someone I care about had died. I'm... I'm afraid, Cassie," he confesses. Cas turns to the hunter.

"I won't leave you, Dean."

Dean glances at him and smirks sadly.

"Don't make promises about things you can't control."

"I've always come back for you, haven't I?" Cas asks fiercely. "Everytime. You think Azazel's going to change that? Even from the beginning, I  _always_  came back."

Dean stares at his angel with awe, pride, and love.

"I know."

"Everytime, Dean," Cas emphasises. "You don't remember when I pulled you out of Hell, but I do."

"What?"

"You got lost a few times. I tracked you down and led you out. Lucifer killed me, I came back. Leviathans killed me, I  _came back_. I forgot you then, but I still  _remembered_. Everytime we fought, I came back when you needed me. I chose you, in every version of our story."

"This would be a good moment for a 'Princess Bride' quote," Dean teases. Cas rolls his eyes and looks away. "Hey," Dean says softly, turning Cas' face back to his. "Seriously, though, I know. I hear you," Dean rests his forehead against the angel's.

"So, last night on Earth, what are your plans?" Cas asks, teasing, repeating the question Dean asked him those years ago.

"I thought I'd just sit here and contemplate life," Dean teases back, repeating Cas' answer from that night. He leans forward and kisses the angel. Abruptly, he pulls back.

"What is it, Dean?"

"Let's get married," Dean says suddenly.

"What?!"

"Married. We may only have a few days left. And even if we survive, we'll have the rest of our lives together. Marry me, Cassie," he insists.

"Are you serious?"

"This is my serious face. I love you, Cas."

"But... where will we find a church at this hour? Or even one that would be willing to marry us? Not only that, I'm an angel of the Lord, what am I supposed to put on a marriage certificate?"

"Hopefully, 'Castiel Winchester'," Dean replies.

"Dean, be serious."

"I am. Your brother's an  _archangel_ ; he could marry us and it be binding. Short of that, there's got to be at least one hunter in this city capable of performing a marriage."

Cas stares at Dean for a minute.

"Well... let's go find a priest. And, we should probably tell your family."

"Yes!" Dean exclaims. He picks Cas up off the car and spins him around, laughing. "Come on, get in the car," he says, setting him down. He tosses the cooler in the back and climbs into the driver's side. "Oh, almost forgot," he remembers, reaching into the glove compartment. He pulls something small out and hands it to Cas.

"What is this?" he asks, holding it up to the moonlight.

"It's a ring, obviously," Dean replies. "Silver, mixed with iron."

"What's this carved in the band?" Cas asks. "Are these... devil's traps?"

"Devil's traps, and every ward I could possibly fit on the band. See, anti-possession," he replies, pointing to the symbol.

"What does this say?" Cas turns the ring to the light.

"'My angel'," they say together.

"You made this?" Cas asks.

"I had help."

"Ariel?" Castiel verifies. Dean nods. "Dean Winchester," Cas sighs, shrugging. he chuckles. "You're a hopeless romantic, you know that?"

"Sorry, my  _fiancé_  has a horrible effect on me."

Cas struggles to hide a smile as he stares out at the countryside rushing past.

* * *

"You are  _what_?" Sam exclaims as the Winchesters gather in their motel room.

"Cas and I are getting married," Dean says proudly.

"Oh my God," Juliet gasps. "That's wonderful!" she exclaims, hugging her brother.

Ariel also hugs the happy couple and Adam offers his congratulations. Sam and Gabriel just stare in shock.

Dean meets Sam's eyes over Juliet's head.

"You could be happy," he suggests.

"I'm just... confused."

"Well, marriage is hardly a confusing concept."

"But  _you_  are getting married."

"Yes. And I am very happy about it."

Sam throws his hands up.

"Well, alright then. Congratulations, I guess."

"Will you be my best man, Sammy?"

Sam tosses back his head and laughs.

"What?"

"I just can't help remember the last time one of us got married."

"Don't you dare compare this to your 'marriage' to Becky," Dean warns him. "So, is that a 'yes'?"

"Sure, Dean," Sam sighs. "Now, let's go find a priest."

"Oh, my God, my big brother's getting married!" Juliet practically squeals.

"Can I be Cas' bridesmaid?" Gabriel asks wryly.

* * *

The Winchesters spend the next hour tracking down a priest. They finally find the room of Isaac Hill, a priest turned hunter. They gather around the door as Dean knocks.

Isaac opens the door, gun in hand.

"Mr. Hill?" Dean asks.

"That's me. What do you want?"

"Can you perform a marriage?"

"Son, it's one in the morning."

"Please. Time is running short."

"You're the Winchester boy, aren't you?"

"Yes, sir."

Isaac checks his watch.

"Give me five minutes."

"Can you meet us at the Bellevue United Methodist Church on Ash Point Road?"

Isaac sighs.

"I'll meet you there."

He closes the door. Dean turns to the group.

"Well? I'm getting married, and you guys are wearing  _that_?"

* * *

Everyone dresses in their nicest clothes- the guys wear their interrogation suits. Gabriel makes Cas wear a bow tie.

"Hey, Gabriel," Juliet whispers to him as she fixes his tie.

"Yeah?"

"You know we have to do the car decorating, right?" she smirks.

"And they call  _me_  the Trickster."

"Gabriel?" Sam says, sticking his head in the doorway. "Dean says you have to give Cas away."

"I'm not his father," Gabriel protests. "It's not even an official ceremony."

Juliet turns to him with fire in her eyes.

"Gabriel, you are his big brother. You walk that poor angel down the aisle or so help me-"

"Alright, alright."

* * *

Dean fidgets nervously at the altar.

"Do I look alright?"

"You look fine," Sam assures him.

"I look stupid. I look ridiculous."

"Dean..."

"I don't think I can do this," he says, turning to Sam.

"Well, it's too late now," Sam replies, turning him around in time to see Gabriel and Cas marching up the aisle, Cas looking proud and Gabe looking bored. Dean's nerves wash away and he breaks into a smile.

The angels reach the altar and Gabriel moves to his seat by Juliet.

"Hi," Dean says softly.

"Hello, Dean," Cas replies smiling.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to-" Isaac Hill begins. Dean and Cas both interrupt.

"Can we skip ahead?"

Isaac rolls his eyes.

"Do you have vows prepared, or do you want me to do the traditional ones?"

"They would like to do their own," Sam answers quickly before Dean and Cas have a chance to speak up. He sits down next to his family to watch the show.

"Who's starting?"

"I will," Cas volunteers. Dean smiles at him gratefully. "Dean, since the moment I saw your soul in Hell, I have loved you. You don't remember it, but I do. When I first saw you, you were torturing a soul. I could see your soul shining through the damage and decay Hell had tried to cover it with. It was battered, bruised, and broken. And it was beautiful.

"The first words you ever said to me, you don't remember. But you said, 'Save them'. You were begging for the soul upon the rack. You've always put others before yourself. Sometimes it's Sam; sometimes it's me.

"The highlight of my life, and it's been a long one, was pulling you from Hell. Even though you were heavier than I anticipated," he adds. The Winchesters snort and chuckle until Dean fixes them with a glare. "And I will not love you until the end of you life. I will love you until... Until the day the universe ends and we have nothing left to fight for."

Dean takes a deep breath before starting.

"Cas. You know I'm no good at words or emotions. But I love you, and I'm going to do my best to say it.

"When I first felt feelings for you, I assumed they were brotherly feelings. I have never been more wrong, and I've never been more glad to be wrong.

"I asked you to marry me, because I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. We might not have much time left, and I don't want to spend a second of it without you. I don't have much faith in Heaven, and I doubt I'm going to go there when I die. But if that's where you are- where ever you are- I will fight my way, tooth and nail, to get there. No matter where you are. Because, Cas, I didn't believe in angels, until an angel believed in me. But, Cas, most of all I believe in you. And nothing, not even death, will stop that."

He swallows roughly around the lump in his throat and nods to Isaac to continue.

If anyone notices Gabriel sniffing or brushing his eyes, they don't comment.

"Then, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you wed. You may kiss the groom."

Cas throws his arms around Dean's neck and kisses him as their family stands and cheers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hehehe, Destiel wedding! Episode 7x08.
> 
> Alright, friends, we're about to get down to the showdown. Brace yourselves, this would be our "Carry on Wayward Son" episode.


	14. All Hell Breaks Loose

Dean and Cas are inseparable during what's left of the time before the showdown. Gabriel uses his grace to keep track of the hybrids nearby.

"They're gathering," he announces one morning.

"Where?" Sam asks as everyone jumps up and gathers weapons.

"Outside the city."

"How long?" Dean asks.

"A few hours? They're flying in from everywhere."

"Juliet, go alert the hunters. Ariel, Adam, go with her. Have them meet us outside the city. Make sure they've settled their debts," Dean orders.

"Jules," Gabriel says, catching her arm as she rushes past. "After that, go back to our room. If we don't come back, take the twins and go home."

"What? No, I'm fighting with you."

"Jules, somebody has to take care of Bobby and Mary. And I can't be worrying about you out there."

"And who says you should get to go? Why don't you stay behind?"

"Jules, you're their mother. They need  _you_."

"They need a father too."

"Juliet,  _please_. Please do this for me. I'm begging you."

Juliet glares at him.

"I'll stay, but only because someone needs to protect the citizens if this goes sideways."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me. Just come home."

* * *

Dean packs up the Impala.

"Here we go again, Baby. Ready for the big showdown?"

"Time to go, Dean. You ready?" Sam asks.

"It's Apocalypse time," Dean replies. "At least we're on the same side this time."

Sam smiles.

"Here, Dean," he says, handing over a cassette.

"What is this?"

"The Ultimate Apocalypse playlist," Sam replies.

"Well, go rally the troops. It's show time."

Dean, Cas, Sam, Gabriel, Ariel, and Adam pile into the Impala; Dean, Cas, and Sam squished in the front.

Dean pulls out of the parking lot and down the street. He drives slowly down the main street.

The hunters gathered in Leona trickle slowly onto the street and trail after the Impala in the world's strangest parade.

Dean rolls down the windows and blasts Sam's cassette as loud as possible. The first song is, obviously, "Rock of Ages". The caravan of hunters begin to sing along.

Juliet is in her motel room when there's a knock at the door. She opens it.

"Jay?"

"I wanted to stop by and say 'goodbye', since I probably won't be coming back. In fact, I don't really plan to."

"Jay..."

"Are you staying behind?"

"Gabriel asked me to."

"Then I guess this is 'goodbye'. It was nice to meet you, Juliet."

"You too, Jay."

Jay turns and walks away, joining the river of hunters down the main street. Juliet watches him go before slowly closing the door.

* * *

The Impala pulls up to the edge of a field.

"Gabriel?" Dean asks over his shoulder.

"They're coming here," Gabriel confirms.

"Okay. Let's do this."

The group climbs out of the car.

"Dean," Ariel turns to him. She gestures to the hunters. They're watching the group expectantly. "Talk to the masses."

"What?"

"She's right, Dean," Sam tells him. "They're waiting on you."

"But what do I say?"

"Word of encouragement. Anything. You gathered them here; now they look to you," Castiel replies.

"Just not your 'Braveheart' speech," Sam adds. Dean looks around and swallows before nodding. He climbs up onto the Impala.

"Alright, listen up!" he calls. The hunters turn to him and are silent. "The creatures we are fighting are going to be gathering in this field. It will be an army. Now, we don't know exact numbers."

"Eight-hundred-ninety-three," Gabriel says quietly.

"There are eight-hundred and ninety-three," Dean calls to the group. "We are- slightly- outnumbered. But the monsters attacking us don't have what we have. This planet is  _our_  home. Not theirs. As hunters, we have dedicated ourselves to fighting for Earth and humanity- some of us our whole lives.

"Many of us have families, homes, and friends. Today, we're fighting for them. We're fighting to save  _them_. Not only that, we are fighting to save our lives too.

"I am honored to fight alongside each and everyone of you. And, should it happen, I would be honored to die alongside you.

"We are humanity's first- and probably only- line of defense. We cannot let them down. And we will not.

"Now, let's show them what happens to the sons of bitches who mess with Earth!"

The hunters let up a vicious cheer.

Dean climbs down from the Impala and exhales slowly. His family nods in approval.

"They're here," Gabriel announces.

Suddenly, from the trees surrounding the field, swarms of the hybrids rise up. Several hunters gasp and the group takes a half-step back.

"Steady!" Dean calls.

They hybrids fly forward and land several yards from the hunters.

"Are you the one called Dean Winchester?" the one in front asks.

"I am."

"We have a message for you."

"And?"

"'Welcome to Hell'," he says, with a smirk. The hybrides charge forward, huge wings flapping behind them.

The hunters run to meet them, guns, knives, and anything else they have slicing through hybrids.

Dean steals one last look at Cas, before charging forward, guns blazing and a primal yell on his lips.

The hybrids fight without weapons, using hands and teeth, not that that slows them any.

The two armies meld together into one tangled mash of hybrids and hunters.

Dean and Sam fight shoulder-to-shoulder for a short time, perfectly in sync from years of fighting in tandem, like to limbs of the same body. After a few minutes, they drift apart, and in the mad chaos, it is the last they will see of each other for some time.

For a brief span, Gabriel, Ariel, and Castiel form a merciless, undefeatable, triad of whirling angel blades. Years or training side by side in Heaven destroy the hybrids before in time, even their wall of deadly angel blades is broken apart.

During the fighting, the Winchesters sometimes catch glimpses of each other, but they are brief.

Dean is locked in a fierce struggle with a hybrid until his blade is knocked out of his hand. In the momentary lull, he glances around and realizes the hunters have been over taken. Only a few are still fighting; the rest are weaponless.

And he can see reflected in their stunned eyes, " _We lost_ ".

* * *

Juliet is pacing back and forth in her motel room. Suddenly, the door swings open and hits the wall behind it. Juliet is thrown against the wall behind her.

"Well, hello," the person in the door way smiles. A person with yellow eyes.

"Azazel," Juliet snarls.

"Juliet. Right?"

Juliet continues to glare at him.

"I suppose your brothers told you about me? Don't you know not to believe everything you hear?"

"I didn't just hear it from my brothers."

"Ah, yes, Ariel, the angel. I suppose she still blames me for the whole Sandalphon incident?"

"Can you blame her? You killed her soulmate."

"But think how much better her life is now. She met your brother. She had a purpose for years."

"You killed the man she loved. Sandalphon had friends, family-"

"Ah, yes. Family. The Winchesters most beloved word. Let me ask you, have any of you ever met Sandalphon's twin brother?"

"No."

"His name is Metatron. He is an insane, self-centered- egotistical angel. I think he deserved a little punishment."

"In the form of his brother's murder?"

"Well, the two just happened to coincide. Now, it'll be a miracle if he pulls himself together."

"And that's a good thing?"

"It's a great thing. The angel's a recluse now. No one ever needs to meet him."

"What are you here for?"

"Building up my army."

"With what?"

"I've come for the twins. The children of an archangel? The  _last_  archangel. Think how powerful they'll be."

"They won't be ready to fight for years. And by then, my brothers will have crushed your little uprising."

Azazel moves to her and places a hand around her throat, but doesn't squeeze.

"Silly girl. Your brothers and their 'army' are being decimated even as we speak. And as for the time it will take to raise my army, how old do you think my current hybrids are, hm?" Azazel asks. "The eldest is six. They age so much faster than you would believe. And their mental capacity is fantastic. So, I'm going to take your dear twins, does them up on demon blood, and create the new leaders of my army. But first, I need to get you out of the way."

Azazel clenches his hand on Juliet's throat. She struggles against him.

"Oh, don't struggle. I'm in no rush, and you'll only kill yourself faster."

"Suddenly, Mary Jo starts crying. Strength flows through Juliet and her eyes narrow. Azazel barely has a second to register the danger he is in before Juliet fits her fingers under his hand. She twists his arm away from her neck and rotates until his arm snaps.

"You just made the biggest mistake of your life," Juliet tells him, kicking him in the chest. Azazel drops to his knees. "You made my baby girl cry."

She dives for the demon knife on the table. Azazel jumps up behind her as she turns and drives it into his chest. Azazel gasps as the blade stops his heart.

"Have fun in Purgatory, bitch."

* * *

Dean looks around at the hunters left. Maybe half of them are dead, many bloody and disoriented and all of them disarmed, except for one.

Surrounded by hybrids, Jay is holding his own against five of them.

Dean is about to run to him and help, when a swarm of the hybrids descend on Jay. When they move away, and Dean can finally see, Jay is lying on the ground, so still there is no question about his life.

The hybrid who first spoke to Dean flies into the air.

"Humans! You have lost. Many of your number are dead. Many require medical attention. Surrender now, and we shall let you mourn your dead and tend your wounded. Continue you to resist, and we will be forced to kill you all."

"Dean," Adam murmurs to him. He wipes the blood flowing from a gash on his forehead. "We have to surrender."

Dean looks at his younger brother, then turns back to the hybrids.

Suddenly, there is a crash of thunder and lightening crackles across the sky.

A swarm of flying creatures fly over the humans' heads. The hunters begin to scatter in terror. Dean stares up, wide-eyed.

"The angels! It's the angels!" he exclaims to the hunters.

"Did you miss me?" Balthazar asks, landing before the hunters. He winks. Then he turns, and with a flourish, bellows to the angels, "Charge, my brethren! Remind them that wings do not make an angel. Let the Winchesters be in  _our_  debt!"

The angels dive forward towards the hybrids. The hunters, emboldened, race forward with them.

The battle is finished quickly. The hybrids, not expecting added resistance, are easily destroyed. The final few turn tail and run. Balthazar dispatches some angels after them to track them down.

After he is sure the fighting is over, Dean trudges through the chaos of hunters searching for family and mourning loved ones.

He approaches the Impala, prepared to search for his family. Leaning against the car are Sam with a bloody nose, Adam with a broken arm, Gabriel, Ariel, and Balthazar, and, supported by Gabriel, a very bloody, but beaming Castiel.

"We made it," Dean says, awestruck.

"Shockingly enough," Balthazar replies.

"Let's go home," Sam says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Haha! We made it! Yay. Two more chapters guys. Chapter title season 2 episodes 21 and 22. And look at the unexpected hero of the day, our own lovely, snarky, Balthazar. I had more fun writing this chapter than almost anything.
> 
> So, now you know Metatron's backstory. What do you think? I wanted to go more into detail with it, but yeah.
> 
> Mama Bear Juliet, wooh!
> 
> Angels saving the day, oh yeah!
> 
> I enjoyed this chapter a lot.


	15. Salvation

The weary and bloody Winchesters traipse back to their motel room. As soon as the Impala is outside the door, Juliet is in the doorway, torn between running to see if Gabriel is still alive or waiting to prolong the possibility of bad news. The door of the car is barely open before Gabriel has forced his way out, nearly faceplanting on the asphalt.

Juliet's entire face lights up and she runs to him, throwing her arms around him. She doesn't say a word, just taking in the feel of him, warm and solid and alive in her arms.

Dean and Cas, who haven't let go of each other's hands the entire ride home, lead the family into the motel room.

"What the Hell?" Dean exclaims. "Jules?"

"Yes, Dean?" Juliet asks, her face still buried in the crook of Gabriel's neck.

"You mind telling me why there is a dead demons on the floor of our motel room?"

"I think we should all go in and exchange stories," Juliet suggests, taking Gabriel's hand and walking into the room.

The next morning, hunters start clearing out of Leona, since the threat is over and Azazel is dead. The Winchesters are able to spread out of the two rooms they were crammed in.

The humans are eating breakfast with the angels close by, when Ariel makes an announcement.

"I'm going to Hell."

"So are we all, what's your point?" Dean teases.

"No, I'm going to the Cage. There's something I need to do."

"What are you thinking, Ari?" Adam asks warily.

"I made a promise."

Gabriel watches her.

"You'll be careful, won't you?"

"Of course."

"Maybe someone should go with you," Adam suggests.

"I'll go," Gabriel offers.

"I'll be fine."

"You're going to try to save him, aren't you?" Gabriel asks.

"Everyone deserves to be saved, if they want to."

"Go," Gabriel tells her. "But if you need help..."

"I'll pray."

Ariel goes to her room and grabs the key.

"Ari," Adam says from behind her. "What are you doing?"

"When I pulled you out of Hell, I made my brothers a promise. Now I have a chance to go fulfill my promise."

"Let me go with you," Adam offers.

"Adam, you were trapped in the Pit. There's no telling what going back there will do to you. You heard what happened to Sam, and he didn't even go back."

"i'm not letting you out of my sight for a second. I can't worry about losing you."

Ariel meets his eyes and nods. She clasps the key in her hands and recites the Enochian incantation.

Lucifer and Michael are both standing when they arrive in the Pit. Lucifer's aggressive stance melts away.

"You came back," he says in surprise.

"I promised, didn't I?"

"Is it really like he said?" Michael asks. "You promised to come back and help us out?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"You must ask for forgiveness and really mean it. You must admit that what you did- the act itself, not necessarily the reason behind it- was wrong and ask God to forgive you."

"God's been missing for years. Who's to say he would even hear our prayers?"

"I didn't say it wasn't a gamble. Have faith, Michael."

Michael thinks for a moment.

"Alright, I'm ready."

"Then pray," Ariel tells him. He closes his eyes, his mouth moving silently.

"Amen," he finishes aloud. "Well?"

"Now, I take you home. Lucifer, I will come back for you, I promise. Ready, Michael?" she asks, offering her hand. He takes it, and she repeats the incantation to return.

They arrive in her motel room. Michael closes his eyes and tosses his head back as his grace flows through him.

"Michael, this is a new start for you. Use it wisely," she warns him. "If you slip back into your old habits, the Winchesters will come after you and throw you back. You understand, right?"

Michael nods.

"Thank you, sister," he says. He disappears. Ariel returns to the Cage.

Lucifer is kneeling over Adam, who is seizuring on the floor.

"Adam!" she exclaims, running to him. "What happened?"

"I don't know! He just fell over and started shaking. Ari, I swear, I didn't touch him. I promise, I didn't hurt him."

Ariel allows her grace to flow into Adam.

"It's alright. It's alright," she murmurs to them both. Adam's shaking slows and he lies still.

"Is he alright?" Lucifer asks.

"He might be. I should never have brought him here," she takes a deep breath. "Alright, let's get you out of here."

"I don't know what to say," he tells her. "Or where to start."

"Start from the beginning."

"I'll be praying forever," he says hopelessly.

"Why don't you try a blanket prayer?" Ariel suggests. "Just ask for forgiveness in general."

"Help me. Please."

"Alright. Repeat after me: 'Dear Father'."

"'Dear Father'."

"'Please forgive me for my sins," she continues, pausing so Lucifer can repeat what she said. "'I have disobeyed, and I am sorry... Please take me back into your grace... And let me know your love again. Amen.'"

"'Amen'," he repeats quietly. Lucifer opens his eyes and looks around. He looks at Ariel. "Did it work?"

"I don't-"

Suddenly, there is a distant rumble. The ground begins to shake and tremble. The roof above them begins to drop debris, and Ariel throws herself over Adam's prone form. A section of the Cage glows white hot and then disappears. There is a brilliants, blinding light. Silhouetted is a man.

"My children," the silhouette says.

"Father?" Ariel and Lucifer ask in awe. They immediately drop to their knees in a bow.

"Rise," God commands. They stand; Ariel stares in awe, while Lucifer keeps his eyes cast down. "Why won't you look upon me, Lucifer?"

"I am not worthy."

"Who are you to decide one's worth?" he asks gently. "You have prayed for my forgiveness. And so, you are forgiven... my son."

Lucifer bites his lower lip.

"Father," Lucifer chokes out. God extends his arms and embraces him. Lucifer pinches his lips together to keep from crying. God pulls back and looks at Lucifer.

God turns his eyes to Ariel.

"Daughter."

"Welcome back, Father."

"You have done well."

"Thank you."

God leans down and presses his fingertips to Adam's forehead.

"Tell your brothers of my return. I have much to say to them."

"Of course, Father."

Ariel returns to the motel; Adam unconscious and draped over her shoulder.

Gabriel, Cas, and Balthazar are waiting for her.

"What was that?" Gabriel asks. Ariel lays Adam down and turns to her brothers.

"Our father has returned."

"What?"

"God has returned. And he wants to speak to us."

"Where does he want us?" Castiel asks.

"Here," God replies startling them.

"Father," the angels chorus, dropping to one knee.

"My children. In time, I will gather all my angels and talk of their behavior in my absense. But you three have been especially active. So, I shall start with you. Balthazar."

Balthazar looks up alarmed.

"Yes, Father?"

"Rise; I will not talk down to you," God commands. Balthazar stands. "During the Civil War in Heaven, you faked your own death, lying to your brothers, and stole every weapon of Heaven you could grab. You proceeded to lead a life of sin and indecency. You became a shame to angels everywhere."

"I am sorry, Father."

"I am not finished," Balthazar winces. "However, recently, you have changed your ways. You have prayed for forgiveness. And more recently, you have prayed to be 'worthy'. Worthy of Sam Winchester. 'Let me be half the angel he thinks I am', I believe you said."

"Yes, Father."

"An interesting goal. Achievable, yet earnest," God speculates, nodding. "You have my forgiveness, if you want it."

"Of course, Father. Thank you."

"Gabriel," God calls. Gabriel swallows visibly.

"Yes, Father?" he asks, standing.

"You have spent longer on Earth than almost any of my angels. You stayed in Heaven and completed the tasks I'd assigned to you before I left. But, then you ran away, right when your brothers would need you the most. You lived on Earth as a Pagan, punishing humans. As if their punishment was for you to decide. And yet, you continued to live as if I were watching you. In the end, you chose humans, even over your family. I also offer you my forgiveness."

"Thank you, Father," Gabriel sighs in relief.

God is silent for a moment, looking at the only angel left.

"Castiel," he calls gently. Cas rises silently, eyes lowered.

"Father, please," Balthazar speaks up.

"Quiet, Balthazar, you have had your turn."

"But, Father-"

"Enough," God rebukes him firmly. Balthazar falls silent. "Castiel. When I created you, I instilled in you something no other angel has. A love for humanity. You have disobeyed orders from higher angels, killed you brethren, turned your back on Heaven, attempted to take my place, made deals with demons, consorted with demons, and helped sow dissent in Heaven. But still, you have been the most faithful of my children. For longer than any other. you anticipated and prayed for my return. You had faith in your siblings, long after they had given up on you or me. You hunted desperately for me, even when they was nothing to encourage you to do so. And when I did not return, you attempted to protect Heaven. Whether you succeeded or not is a moot point."

"Father, I have caused more destruction and damage than I ever meant to."

"I am aware. But, I also offer you my forgiveness. Let it never be said I am not merciful."

"No, Father."

"What?"

"I cannot take your forgiveness, Father, because I do not deserve it."

"You don't deserve it? Castiel, I decide who is worthy of salvation, and you, my child, are worthy. What was it you said to Dean Winchester, 'You don't think you deserve to be saved'? Well, Castiel, did he deserve salvation?"

Cas looks up at God for the first time.

"Of course. He absolutely deserved to be saved," he states vehemenetly. "But I am not Dean."

"Very true, you are not. You have recieved different choices than Dean. Some larger, some smaller. Even arguing with me now, that is a choice. If Dean were before me now, what choice do you think he would have made: to argue or not to argue?"

"He would have argued. Dean lives for argument."

"If I offered him salvation, perhaps. But if I were offering you salvation, what would he do? Would he argue against me?"

"No. He thinks I'm a hero."

"And should I not measure my children by their worth to others?"

Cas looks up in surprise.

"You're offering me forgiveness because of what I mean to Dean?"

"No. I am offering you forgiveness because of what you mean to many. So, I say again, I offer you my forgiveness. Will you take it?"

"Of course, Father."

"Then my work here is done. I must go to Heaven and announce my return. There is much to be done to repair the damage of my absense."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Episode 21 of season 1.
> 
> Yay! We saved Lucifer. And Michael. But mostly Lucifer! And God came back. Wow, that was unexpected. I didn't plan on that, at all. But here we are.


	16. As Time Goes By

The Winchesters return to the bunker. Dean makes dinner, Sam flashes bitchfaces, and very little seems to have changed.

Except, at dinner, there're a few extra spaces. One for Nakir and Munkar each, the judges at the Gates of Heaven. One for both Garth and Lori, loyal hunters- although only Garth accepts. One for the King of Hell, and his wife Elizabeth. One for a certain archangel who tried to start the Apocalypse. And another for the reformed ex-King of Hell, who remains rather quiet. God was also invited, but declined. Bring the total to seventeen assorted diners of varying ages, loyalties, and levels of humanity.

After dinner, rooms are offered to humans, angels, and demons alike. Only Garth, Michael, and Lucifer accept.

When the group moves to another room- to do what, God only knows, what could entertain archangels, hunters, demons, and other angels for any length of time?- Adam calls Ariel away.

"I want to show you something," he tells her.

"What?"

"It's a surprise."

He stops in front of a door.

"Close your eyes," he commands.

"Adam."

"Do it."

Ariel closes her eyes. Adam takes her hand and leads her into a room. He stops in the center.

"Alright, open them."

Ariel opens her eyes.

The ceiling is clear, opening up to the sky above. Along the walls are multiple telescopes.

"The Men of Letters' observatory," Adam announces. "You said you missed the stars, so..."

"So you brought me the stars," Ariel whispers in awe.

Adam gestures to a bed made of blankets on the floor.

"I thought we could sleep here tonight," he suggests. Ariel pulls him over to the blankets. She kisses him before returning her gaze to the sky.

"I love you, Adam Milligan."

"Winchester. My last name is Winchester."

* * *

**_Two Years Later_ **

Not much had changed in two years, Gabriel and Juliet had another daughter named Maggie. Adam and Ariel were married, and had a beautiful daughter named Bethany.

Sam and Balthazar convinced Charlie to be their surrogate. The baby was due in three months.

Dean and Cas adopted. Their children were those orphaned through supernatural means, so they had children ranging from early teens to infants. Some were less human than others, but none were less loved.

Maggie would grow up to date a demon, infuriating her father, but in time, Thomas would be a welcome member of the family. Bobby and Mary Jo would form one of the greatest hunting teams the Winchester family had ever seen. Sam and Balthazar's son, Ash, went on to become a lawyer. Sam was never more proud. Balthazar masked his pride with feigned disgust. Three of Dean and Cas' children became hunters, two boys and a girl. They called themselves Team Free Will, as a gesture to their fathers and Uncle Sam. The rest went on to live respectable lives, with legitimate jobs, aside from Kevin, who restarted the Men of Letters, John, who took Bobby's- the original Bobby- job as bookkeeper, and Liza, who became a pornstar named Jazzmyne. Actually, she was a shapeshifter and became three separate pornstars and a director. Cas prayed nightly for her soul.

Even two years after the Azazel showdown, Lucifer and Michael stayed with the Winchesters in the bunker. It was just easier than going somewhere else. Michael dated, frequently, but Lucifer, aside from one or two casual hookups, seemed determined to remain single.

Only one person, apart from probably God, knew the reason.

"You could tell him," Juliet suggests.

"Yes, that would go over  _so_  well," he replies, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I doubt that it would hurt."

"He would shun me."

"And that would be any different than what you're doing now, how?"

"I couldn't stand it, Jules. The look of disgust in his eyes if i told him."

"And who says he'd be disgusted?"

"Come on, Juliet, he doesn't even like guys."

"Ah-ha, that's where you're wrong. I happen to know that he has brought home three guys recently."

"Really?"

"Lucifer, tell Michael that you like him," Juliet levels with him.

"Yeah. Yeah, I will."

Juliet probably wouldn't have pushed so hard if Michael hadn't come to her a few days before, begging for advice about Lucifer.

"Mama! Mama!" Mary calls, darting into the room, wings stretched out behind her. "Look what Uncle Mikey taught me!" she flaps her wings aggressively and rises a few inches off the ground.

"That's wonderful, Mary!"

"He says I'll get better when my flying feathers come in."

* * *

"Michael can I talk to you?" Lucifer asks nervously as Michael makes repairs to a motorcycle in the Men of Letters' garage.

"Sure, Luke, what's up?" Michael asks, tossing his hair off of his forehead and glancing up at his brother. He sees the nerves in his eyes and jumps up and moves to Luke's side of the bike. "Hey, what's the matter?"

"Michael-"

"Hey, what's with all this 'Michael' junk? You always call me 'Mikey'. Or 'Mike', at worst."

"We've always been close, haven't we?"

"Sure, Luci, since we were fledglings. What's this about?"

"What would you say if I told you I was interested in men?" Lucifer asks suddenly.

"To each their own. There's nothing wrong with that. What's going on, Luke, you're freaking me out?"

"And what if I told you that I was interested in you?" Lucifer asks suddenly. Michael stops, searching his face. They had been best friends since the moment they were created. Sure, they had fought, but in the Cage they had gotten close. Closer than before.

"Well, that we might need to talk about," Michael says carefully.

"What would we say?"

"Well, that depends on if you're serious."

"Of course I'm serious. I wouldn't joke about this, Michael."

Michael shifts so he's closer to Lucifer.

"Then we don't have to say a thing," he tells her. He pushes his lips against Lucifer's, pining him to the bike. "And don't call me Michael," he whispers in his ear. A shiver passes through Lucifer's body, and he has to admit, as sexy as Michael looked all the times they fought, he's so much hotter when they're making love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And with that, I leave you. This is the end. Altogether, The Littlest Winchester(s) totalled 312 pages of lined paper. And several months of my time. Congratulations, you have made it through two versions of my Winchesters. Episode 8X12. Stay tuned, I may post more things. Offshoots, unrelated one shots, smut. Who knows? Probably only God.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: So, first chapter is mostly fluffy. I promise, it will pick up after here. I will try to upload every five days, like before, but I can't promise 100% dependability.


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